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Xerula long-legged is an edible mushroom that amazes mushroom pickers with a very long, thin stem and a rather large cap. Often the species is confused with a poisonous specimen and they pass by, not knowing that the mushroom has a good aroma and taste. But before collecting unfamiliar varieties, you need to study the description and carefully review the photo so as not to collect false twins in the basket.
What does Xerula leggy look like?
Xerula long-legged, or Gymnopus long-legged, is an interesting representative of the mushroom kingdom. In order not to make a mistake in choosing, you must first of all have an idea about the appearance of the fungus:
Cap Description
This species is distinguished by a small cap, up to 80 mm in diameter. At a young age, it is convex, straightens with age, and the edges are bent upwards. The central tubercle is preserved, then cavities and wrinkles appear. Dry, velvety, dense skin is colored in brown-lemon or dark gray. On the lower part there are rare snow-white plates, partially connected to the leg.
Xerula reproduces by colorless elliptical spores, located in spore powder.
Description of the leg
The species got its name because of the thin, very long legs. Its thickness is about 30 mm, and the length is up to 15 cm. The leg is buried in the ground, which makes the mushroom more stable. The shape can be round-cylindrical or flat. Thin velvety scales are painted to match the color of the cap.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
Rare specimen is edible. It has snow-white tasty pulp, with a light pleasant aroma. Therefore, delicious stews, salted, marinated, as well as fried dishes are obtained from it.
Where and how to grow
Gymnopus long-legged is a rare specimen. It prefers to grow on stumps, in dust, on the roots of deciduous trees. The mushroom representative grows in small groups. The fruiting period is July-October.
Twins and their differences
In order not to make a mistake during the mushroom hunt, you need to know that Gymnopus has doubles. These include:
- Collybia root – an edible species, very similar to a long nail with a small slimy cap, dyed brown. When squeezed, the basal part does not change shape and remains rounded.
- Plyutey scaly – an inedible specimen, which is distinguished by a gray cap with non-grown plates. Fruiting occurs from late spring to early July.
Important! Scaly whip can cause food poisoning.
- Collybia fusipoda – Poisonous variety. It has tough flesh and a red-brown cap that fades with age. Fruiting occurs from late spring to mid-summer.
- Xerula hairy – refers to conditionally edible representatives of the mushroom kingdom. You can recognize it by its long stem and large hat with a fleecy bottom. In adult specimens, the edges are strongly bent upwards, which makes it easy to see thin plates. Prefers to grow in groups in mixed forests. Fruiting occurs from mid-summer to late September.
Conclusion
Xerula long-legged is a rare species that prefers to grow in deciduous forests. The mushroom is edible, thanks to its delicious pulp and delicate aroma, it is used to prepare a variety of dishes.
