Saucer talker (Clitocybe catinus) photo and description

Saucer talker (Clitocybe catinus)

:

• Agaric dish
• Omphalia dish
• Clitocybe infundibuliformis var. dish
• A dish with a funnel

head: 3-8 centimeters. In youth, it is almost even, with growth it very quickly acquires a concave, saucer-shaped shape, which then turns into a cup-shaped one and then takes on the shape of a funnel. The surface of the cap is smooth, dry, slightly velvety to the touch, matte, not hygrophane. The color is whitish, creamy, light cream, sometimes with pink hues, may become yellowish with age.

plates: descending, thin, white, whitish, with branches and plates. The edge of the plates is smooth.

Leg: 3-6 centimeters high and about half a centimeter in diameter. The color of the hat or a little lighter. Fibrous, solid, cylindrical, central. The base of the leg may be slightly expanded. The leg is smooth, not pubescent, but closer to the base is often covered with a thin velvety white mycelium.

Pulp: very thin, soft, white. Does not change color when damaged.

Taste and smell. Several different sources give diametrically opposed information. There are references to the “Smell of bitter almonds”, and flour or even “rancid flour” is also mentioned. At the same time, other sources indicate “Without a special taste and smell.”

spore powder: white

Споры 4-5(7,5) * 2-3(5) µm. Whitish-creamy, tear-shaped, smooth, hyaline rather than amyloid, guteral.

The mushroom is considered conditionally edible. There is no data on toxicity. Considering that the pulp of Clitocybe catinus is thin, cottony (some sources indicate the epithet “fluffy”), and the taste may turn out to be like that of rancid flour, then it can only be collected out of sports interest.

The author considers it necessary to warn novice mushroom pickers: you should be extremely careful with light, white talkers!

Whitish talker (Clitocybe dealbata) – poisonous. Collect a saucer-shaped talker only if you are sure.

Photo: Sergey.