Fungi Collection: Specimen #8: Large, Brown Mushroom

Figure 1: Large, irregularly textured cap

Figure 2: Visible annulus and large volva

Name: Lepoita rachodes, Shaggy Parasol
Family: Lepoitaceae
Collection Date: September 10, 2011
Habitat: In yard, near tree
Location: Warren, Ohio
Description: Large brown, scaly cap, slightly orange gills. Annulus present as well as indistinct volva. Cap is split. Appears to be a very mature specimen, as younger samples seem to be lighter and more smooth.
Collector: Taylor Summerfield

Key used: Arora, David, 1986. Mushrooms Demystified, 2nd Edition, Ten Speed Press, New York, New York.

Key Steps: Key to the Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi
1. Spores produced on mother cells called basidia; fruiting body variously shaped (see pp.52-54)...Basidiomycotina, p. 57

Key to Basidiomycetes:
1. Basidia and spore borneexternally...2
2. Fruiting body not at first egglike with a gelatinous interior, spore not contained in slime...Hymenomycetes, below

Key to Hymenomycetes:
1. No pores or tube mouths on underside of cap...3
3. Underside of cap radiating blades (gills)...Agaricales, below

Key to the Agaricales:
1. Spore frocibly discharged, hence a spore print obtainable...2
2. Spore print white to buff...3
3. Universal veil enveloping young specimens and forming a volva at base of stalk when it ruptures and/or leaving warts on cap...Amanitaceae, p. 262

Key to Amanitaceae:

1. Volva present at base of stalk...2

2. Cap usually with warts...Amanita, below

Key to Amanita:

1. Volva indistinct...15

15. Universal veil remnants not yellow...22

22. Cape not pale yellow-green...23

23. Flesh not staining reddish brown...24

24. Cap not brightly colored...26

26. Partial veil absent, cap margin not striate...31

31. Cap entirely brown when young, breaking up into large brown scales in age; flesh in stalk staining orange...Lepoita rachodes, p. 297

Links:

http://www.rrich.com/mslepracho.html