Contents
The chestnut lepiota (Lepiota castanea) belongs to the umbrella mushrooms. The Latin name means “scales”, which is consistent with the external signs of the fungus. This is one of the representatives of the Champignon family.
What do chestnut lepiotas look like?
Mushrooms outwardly look attractive, but you should not take them in a basket – it is life-threatening.
Young umbrellas have an egg-shaped hat, on which the scaly skin of yellow, brown, chestnut color is clearly visible. As it grows, this part of the fruiting body straightens out, but the dark place on the crown does not disappear. The peel gradually cracks, a white layer is visible under it. Hats are small – no more than 2-4 cm in diameter.
At the umbrella under the chestnut hat there are plates. They are thin and often spaced. After the appearance of lepiota from under the ground, the plates are white, but then they become yellowish or straw. On the break, the flesh is white, in the area of uXNUMXbuXNUMXbthe legs of a red or brown hue. It is fragile, with an unpleasant odor.
Ripe umbrellas have hollow cylindrical legs 5 cm high, with a diameter of about 0,5 cm. The color of the leg either matches the shade of the cap, or is slightly darker, especially at the expanded base.
Where do chestnut lepiotas grow?
Judging by the name, it can be assumed that you need to look for lepiots under chestnut trees. This is an incorrect judgment. You can meet the chestnut umbrella under deciduous trees, although it is also found in mixed forests. Often it can be seen in the garden, ditches, along roadsides.
Umbrellas grow in Our Country almost everywhere except the Far North. The growth of fruiting bodies begins with the appearance of grass in early spring. Fruiting continues all summer, autumn, until frost.
She has almost the same hat shape, only her color can be grayish-brown, brown-cream with a touch of cherry. The edges of the cap are pubescent, dark scales are arranged in circles.
The pulp is white, near the legs of a cream shade, below – cherry. Young lepiotas are reddish-brown and smell like fruit, but as they mature, the stink spreads from them.
Is it possible to eat chestnut lepiotas
Lepiota chestnut belongs to poisonous mushrooms, so it is not eaten. It contains amatoxins dangerous to health.
Symptoms of poisoning
The first signs of mushroom poisoning with umbrellas are:
- nausea;
- vomiting;
- diarrhea.
Symptoms begin to appear after two hours. You need to urgently call an ambulance.
First aid for poisoning
Until the doctors arrive, you should:
- put the victim to bed;
- give a large amount of water to drink in small sips;
- then induce vomiting.
Conclusion
Lepiota chestnut is a deadly poisonous mushroom, so it must be avoided. But this does not mean that they should be knocked down or trampled down. Nothing in nature is useless.
