Contents
The Plyuteev family has several hundred different species. Many of them are poorly studied. Tuberous whip (clubfoot) is a little-known mushroom of the genus Pluteus. In the people it is called club-footed, semi-bulbous or thick-legged.
What does a tuberous whip look like
Like many other fruiting bodies of the Pluteev genus, the tuberous species is very small. It is distinguished by the proportional sizes of the hat and legs, as can be seen in the photo:
Cap Description
The cap is small, thin, 2-3 cm in diameter. In young mushrooms, it is bell-shaped, subsequently becoming prostrate. Pale pink, sometimes yellowish surface slightly wrinkled, with a small tubercle in the middle. Radial fibers similar to grooves depart from it. White, slightly pink plates on the inside are located freely over time.
Description of the leg
The leg is low, only 2-3 cm, has the shape of a cylinder. In some mushrooms, it is curved. It is covered with fibers similar to flakes. At the base, the stem thickens, forming a small tuber. Sometimes mycelia are visible on it. The flesh of the stem and cap is white, odorless and tasteless.
Where and how to grow
Like other Plyutei, this saprotroph is found on rotten foliage, decaying tree trunks, and sometimes just on open ground in mixed and deciduous forests. Its geography is wide.
Tuberous whip grows from August to October:
- in Europe, except for the Iberian Peninsula;
- in North Africa;
- in Asian countries, for example, Azerbaijan and Armenia, China and Japan.
In Our Country, this fruiting body was seen in Primorye, on the territory of Yakutia. In the western part of Our Country, it was found in the Samara region, the area of the Zhigulevsky reserve.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The mushroom is considered inedible: due to its small size and lack of any taste, it has no value. Scientists do not talk about its toxicity.
Twins and their differences
Some mushroom pickers confuse tuber scourge with velvety-legged scourge. But this species is twice as large as tuberous. The surface of the cap is also different: it is velvety, gradually small scales appear on it. The color of the cap is amber, sandy-brown, even brown. It is found in the same areas as the tuberous whip.
One of the edible spittles is deer:
Conclusion
Tuberous whip is poorly studied. Therefore, mushroom pickers need to be careful not to let this species get into the basket. Many members of the species can have a hallucinogenic effect.