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The edible cobweb belongs to the Spider web family, the Latin name of which is Cortinarius esculentus. You can immediately guess that the species in question is an edible gift from the forest. In common parlance, this mushroom is called fat.
Description of the edible cobweb
The mushroom prefers moist places, and therefore it can be found along the edge of the swamp.
The fruiting body of the fatty is presented in the form of a fleshy cap and a large leg. The pulp of this specimen is particularly dense, has a mushroom aroma and a pleasant taste. Painted in white color, on the cut the tone remains unchanged.
Cap Description
Most often, the bbw grows in large groups
At a young age, the cap of the edible cobweb is semicircular, with thin wrapped edges inward, but as it grows older it acquires a flat-convex or depressed shape. The structure is characterized as dense and fleshy. The surface is smooth to the touch, watery, whitish-gray in color with brown spots. On the underside of the cap are frequent, descending and adherent to the stem plates of clay color. Spores are ellipsoidal, yellowish-brown.
Description of the leg
Old specimens of this species may look like a toadstool, but they can be distinguished by a pleasant aroma.
The leg is straight, reaches no more than 3 cm in length, and the thickness in diameter is 2 cm. The structure is dense, without cavities. The surface is smooth, white or brown in color. In the central part there are cobweb scraps, which are the remains of a bedspread.
Where and how to grow
Favorable time for fruiting is the period from September to October. The edible cobweb lives in coniferous forests among mosses and lichens, and forms mycorrhiza exclusively with pines. This variety is widespread in Belarus, but is also found in the European part of Our Country.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
This species belongs to the category of edible specimens. Many mushroom pickers note that the edible cobweb has a pleasant mushroom aroma and a sweetish taste.
Twins and their differences
According to external signs, the described gift of the forest is similar to the diverse cobweb. The double is a conditionally edible mushroom, but can be used as food only after pre-treatment. It differs from the specimen under consideration in the caps of brown shades and a tuberous stalk at the base.
The pulp of the double does not have a pronounced taste and smell
Conclusion
The edible cobweb is quite popular among amateurs and professional mushroom pickers who understand these gifts of the forest and know their price. Such an instance attracts with its large size, pleasant aroma and sweetish taste. This mushroom can be served on the table as a main course or side dish, but it is especially good when fried or pickled.