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Often mushroom pickers come across whole clearings of long-legged bell mushrooms on their way. Collibia merging often grows on stumps in groups of 2-9 or more specimens. Inexperienced mushroom pickers often mistake them for mushrooms, but in order not to make a mistake when picking, you need to know the varietal characteristics and view the photo.
What does merging collybia look like?
Collibia merging, or merging money, refers to inedible species. Therefore, in order not to harm your body, you need to be able to recognize mushroom species by their external characteristics.
Cap Description
At a young age, the mushroom has a hemispherical cap with a diameter of 20 mm. As they grow older, the cap increases in size, takes on the shape of a bell with a pronounced tubercle in the center. The glossy surface is smooth and thin, and you can easily see the lamellar bottom through it. The skin is colored light brown. The edges are lighter and wavy. With age, the color brightens to fawn or cream.
Numerous narrow plates of a whitish or yellowish color are accreted or partially accreted on the inner side.
Like all representatives of the mushroom kingdom, Collibia merging reproduces with elongated spores located in spore powder.
Description of the leg
The longitudinally folded cylindrical leg reaches a height of 100 mm, a thickness of 5 mm. The flesh is tough and fibrous, white-yellow in color, which changes to rusty-red or red-brown with age.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
Despite the fact that the pulp is dominated by a pleasant taste, the mushroom is considered inedible, as it exudes an unpleasant smell of rotten cabbage.
Where and how to grow
This species can be found in large families in mixed deciduous forests, on rocky areas, in fallen leaves, on stumps and in dust. Fruiting begins in mid-July and continues until the first frost.
Twins and their differences
Collibia merging has edible, poisonous and conditionally edible counterparts.
- Collibia oily – the edible variety has a red-brown leg and a cap of the same color up to 120 mm in size. The surface is smooth, covered with mucus after rain. The species has a hard pulp, grows in coniferous forests.
- Mycena inclined – an edible species that has a thin bell-shaped cap. Prefers to grow on stumps in an oak grove.
- Collybia spotted – conditionally edible. The fused snow-white cap is covered with separate reddish spots. It grows in deciduous and coniferous loess.
- Collibia wrapped – inedible variety with a brown-red cap. The surface is smooth, during a drought it acquires a golden color.
- Collybia tuberous – Poisonous variety. Mushrooms are small in size, painted in cream color. If eaten, they can cause food poisoning.
Conclusion
Collibia merging due to its tough flesh and unpleasant aroma is considered an inedible species. Therefore, in order to protect yourself, you need to view the photo and familiarize yourself with the varietal characteristics. Experienced mushroom pickers are advised to pass by an unfamiliar specimen, as confusion often occurs and poisonous species fall into the basket.
