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The mushroom umbrella is called so because of its similarity with this item of clothing. The appearance of a large and wide cap on a long and relatively thin stem is quite characteristic, and it is difficult to find any other association. Most umbrellas are edible mushrooms with excellent taste. Their distribution area is very wide. The following is a photo and description of umbrella mushrooms, their gastronomic and medicinal properties are given.
Description of umbrella mushrooms
This group of related species is otherwise called macrolepiotes and belongs to the Champignon family. All of them are distinguished by a characteristic appearance, really very similar to an open umbrella. Most representatives of macrolepiotes are edible mushrooms.
Where mushrooms grow umbrellas
Umbrellas grow in forests, both coniferous and deciduous. They can even appear in parks and plantings. They are able to form mycorrhiza with almost any tree. They prefer dry light areas (for example, clearings or edges), often found near paths.
They can also spawn away from trees. Repeated cases were recorded when umbrellas were in the fields and meadows. They grow relatively rarely along the banks of reservoirs.
Each of the macrolepiotes, even by itself, has a fairly large range. And if we consider the entire group as a whole, then we can say that its representatives are found on all continents, with the exception of Greenland and Antarctica. Umbrella mushrooms can be found both in the Moscow region and in the north of Australia.
When umbrella mushrooms grow
The fruiting of this group lasts almost the entire summer. The first mushrooms appear in early June. The last one is in mid-September. Of course, much depends on the specific species. So, a motley umbrella bears fruit from the third decade of August to the first decade of October, and a white one – from mid-June to the third decade of October.
Growth rates in summer are much higher than in autumn. If the formation of a mature fruiting body in July takes several days, then in September this process (despite more rain) can stretch for 2 weeks.
What do umbrella mushrooms look like?
These are fairly large mushrooms, the hat of which can reach very large sizes. Its diameters are from 35 to 40 cm. The leg is also very long (up to 40 cm). The top of the hat is powdered with many small scales. There are also representatives that have relatively large spots instead.
A typical edible umbrella mushroom (variegated) is shown in the photo below:
The cap of the ripened fruiting body of the variegated umbrella is covered with many small scales.
Young fruiting bodies look like small balls (up to 10 cm in diameter) on relatively long and thin legs. Over time, they open up and the outer shell, torn in many places, remains in the form of scales on the caps. Photo of an unopened umbrella mushroom:
Unopened caps of young mushrooms have a more saturated color than in adult specimens.
What category do umbrella mushrooms belong to?
Since, despite their wide distribution, these are little-known and unpopular mushrooms, they are classified as the 4th category of edibility. Not the last role in this was played by the fact that their fruiting bodies should be consumed at a young age, while the pulp is still quite loose.
Young mushrooms can be cooked in any form (fried, boiled, salted, soaked, etc.). With age, their scope narrows significantly. Old copies are not recommended even to dry.
Types of umbrella mushrooms
There are several varieties of edible parasol mushrooms. Below they are discussed in more detail, their characteristic differences from the photo are given.
Umbrella motley
A typical representative of the group of umbrellas. Another name – chicken mushroom, received by him for the similarity of taste with chicken meat. A large species, reaching a stem up to 40 cm long (although the average is from 10 to 30 cm). The cap diameter is up to 35 cm. It has late maturation. A photo of a motley umbrella is given below.
Young and mature fruiting bodies of the variegated umbel
Umbrella white
Also an edible variety that is very popular. The sizes are significantly smaller than that of the variegated one (a hat with a diameter of up to 15 cm, a leg up to 12 cm long). The distribution area is much larger, since the fungus can grow both in forests and in open areas.
A characteristic feature is the ragged color of the cap in mature fruiting bodies. The pulp has a white color that does not change when cut. The taste is a little tart.
A white umbrella is characterized by a torn color of the hat.
Umbrella graceful
Edible mushroom. It has a thin stem up to 15 cm long. The cap diameter is up to 18 cm. A characteristic feature is a tubercle in its center. It has tasty and fragrant pulp.
It is found in the warm-temperate climate of Europe and Asia. It is also widely distributed in northern Africa and America. In addition, there are large colonies of this fungus in Australia.
Umbrella graceful with a characteristic coloration of the tubercle on the hat
Lepiots
In addition, there are a number of inedible umbrellas, mainly lepiot. Almost all of these species are smaller than their edible relatives. In addition to short stature, their other characteristic feature is the presence of variegated pigmentation in the center of the cap.
Lepiota comb – a typical representative of inedible umbrellas
Is it possible to eat mushrooms umbrellas
The question of whether an umbrella is an edible mushroom or not has been resolved a long time ago. Almost everywhere it is eaten without any restrictions. Many are afraid to eat this species for its similarity with poisonous mushrooms, however, the external differences between the umbrella and inedible related species, as well as from false twins, are quite characteristic, it is problematic to confuse them.
What mushroom umbrella tastes like
The taste of the motley umbrella, as well as its related species, is similar to the taste of champignons. Young fruiting bodies are more juicy and soft. Their gastronomic qualities are especially appreciated by gourmets due to their light astringent effect.
What is useful umbrella mushroom
Useful properties of an umbrella mushroom are defined by the substances which are its part. These include:
- tyrosine (normalization of the liver and hormonal system);
- arginine (improvement of metabolism and vascular function);
- melanin (support for normal skin condition);
- vitamins of group B;
- vitamins C, K and E;
- minerals – potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron.
In addition, the fruiting bodies of umbrellas contain a large amount of beta-glucans, which are immunostimulants.
Medicinal properties of umbrella mushroom
Traditional medicine recommends the use of this type of mushroom in various diets (due to their low calorie content), as well as as a protein food for diabetes.
Traditional healers believe that the beneficial properties of umbrellas can improve the condition of patients in cases of such diseases:
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- with rheumatism;
- disorders of the nervous system;
- oncology.
An important medicinal property of the umbrella is its immunostimulating and antioxidant effects.
False doubles
Due to the presence of characteristic elements in the structure of the legs and cap, this representative of the Champignon has several dangerous twins. All of them are poisonous, some are deadly. Below are the false twins of the motley umbrella.
Lead slag chlorophyllum
Refers to poisonous mushrooms. Outwardly, it is very similar to an umbrella. It has a white cap, which is covered with brown or brown-pink scales. Its diameter can reach up to 30 cm. In young fruiting bodies, it is domed, but as they mature, it flattens.
The leg does not exceed 25 cm in length, and its diameter ranges from 1 to 3,5 cm. Initially, its color is white, but in places of damage under the influence of air, its flesh turns brown. In this case, a section of a large area has a reddish tint. The color of the plates in young mushrooms is white.
Old fruiting bodies of lead-slag chlorophyllum have gray-green plates.
Distributed throughout the world, except for the south of Asia and South America. However, it is found in Africa and Australia. Perhaps he got there with the colonists.
Chlorophyllum dark brown
It is also a poisonous representative of the mushroom kingdom, very similar to an umbrella. There are only minor differences in appearance. The fleshy and relatively thick cap has a diameter of up to 15 cm. The stem is short, about 9 cm long and 1-2 cm in diameter. It has an almost regular cylindrical shape, but near the ground level it has a thickening with a diameter of about 6 cm.
With age, the stem and cap of dark brown chlorophyllum acquire a brown tint.
The area of the fungus is relatively small. It is found on the east coast of the United States, as well as in some regions of Central Europe. Most often, dark brown chlorophyllum is recorded in the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia.
panther fly agaric
A well-known representative of deadly fungi, characterized by high toxicity. Its hat can reach 12 cm in diameter. In youth, it is semicircular, in old fruit years it is flat. The leg in length reaches 12 cm, diameter is 1-1,5 cm.
A characteristic feature of the leg is a thickening that has the shape of a small potato. In 80% of the legs there is a ring located directly at the point of attachment of the hymenophore.
The edges of the cap of the panther fly agaric always crack
The plates are white, but sometimes there are brownish spots on them – traces of injuries and insect activity. The flesh is white, remaining the same when cut. The growth area is very wide, we can say that the fungus is distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere everywhere.
Stinky fly agaric
He’s a white toadstool. A deadly poisonous mushroom with a 90% chance of death when consumed. The remaining 10% of cases cause serious poisoning up to disability. The color of the entire fungus is off-white.
The hat is covered with peculiar flakes of irregular shape. Its diameter can reach up to 20 cm. Young fruiting bodies are characterized by a conical cap. At maturity, it becomes slightly convex, but flattening does not occur. The color of the outer layer of the cap can vary from white to pink, while a dirty gray tint will always be present in the color.
Amanita stinky prefers open areas with low grass
The leg has a cylindrical shape. Its height rarely exceeds 15 cm, and its diameter is 2 cm. Distinctive features of the stem are a flaky coating, a ring and a tuberous thickening at the base.
The pulp of the fruiting body is white, does not change color when cut. The smell is sharp, unpleasant. Many note its similarity with the smell of chlorine-containing preparations and household chemicals. It is widely distributed: it is found everywhere in Eurasia, in northern Africa, in the USA and Canada.
Collection rules
There are no specific methods for collecting umbrellas. Mushrooms do not need any special conditions for transportation and storage. Their fruiting occurs depending on the variety at this time of the year:
- blushing from early July to late October;
- in motley – the beginning of August to the end of September;
- white: end of June and beginning of October.
It is during these periods that the content of nutrients in the fruiting bodies of umbrellas is maximum.
Mushroom pickers especially appreciate the taste of hats in young specimens. It is slightly astringent and sour. Therefore, young mushrooms are recommended for collection. In addition, their use will be universal – such specimens are suitable for frying, and for pickling, and for making soups and salads.
Consumption of umbrella mushrooms
Depending on the age of the fruiting bodies, their use may vary. Only young mushrooms have versatility. Already ripe specimens are not recommended, for example, to fry or salt. For them, the best option would be to use it as a protein base for soup or a second course. You can also consider for them the option of quenching.
In salting, it is recommended to use only young mushrooms. Older ones (with a straightened hat) are a compromise solution, over time their taste may change.
It is better not to cut off old fruiting bodies at all, but to leave them in the forest. But if it so happened that an overripe representative got into the basket, it can be dried.
Conclusion
The article presents a photo and description of umbrella mushrooms. This species is an edible member of the Champignon family. The umbrella mushroom is found almost everywhere in Europe, America and Asia. Its ripening time is mid-summer and early autumn. The umbrella mushroom has many varieties. They differ slightly in appearance and timing of collection. In addition to edible umbrellas, there are also inedible members of the family, and poisonous false twins are also very similar to them.
