What does an umbrella mushroom look like? Mushroom umbrella (photo)

The umbrella mushroom is one of the most delicious representatives of the mushroom kingdom. It is considered one of the varieties of champignons, although it differs from them both in appearance and taste. It belongs to the group of saprophytes, that is, those that grow on decomposing organic debris. This mushroom is distributed throughout the world, and in our country there are five of its varieties.

Despite such features, many mushroom pickers do not take it. Maybe because the edible umbrella mushroom looks like a fly agaric? But knowledgeable mushroom pickers are happy to collect young umbrellas, which grow in one place every year. Those who want to try the pleasant nutty taste of this mushroom need to know how to distinguish it from poisonous ones, where it grows and how to cook it correctly.

Characteristics of umbrellas

Why was this mushroom called that? This will become clear when you see old mushrooms. If in youth their cap resembles an egg, then with age it opens up and becomes like an umbrella: flat, often with a small tubercle in the middle, on a long thin stem. Even in size, this mushroom is not inferior to an umbrella, albeit a child’s one. It grows up to 40 centimeters in height, and the cap is usually 25-30 centimeters in diameter. You need to know that the umbrella mushroom is edible only at a young age. It grows from late July until cold weather. Usually appears in the same place every year.

Therefore, experienced mushroom pickers go on a “quiet hunt” after the warm summer rains. Since this mushroom is a saprophyte, it loves soils rich in humus and is most often found in pastures, fields or along roads. In the forest, the umbrella mushroom chooses places where there is a lot of fallen leaves, branches and other plant debris.

How to distinguish an umbrella from poisonous mushrooms?

Many mushroom pickers are afraid to take this tasty saprophyte because it looks like a fly agaric. It also has a "skirt" and speckles on its cap. But still there are many differences:

• the three-layer ring on the umbrella leg slides up and down easily;
• The edible mushroom does not have any remnant of the cover on the stem, like poisonous ones;
• the fly agaric has a smooth and shiny cap, while the umbrella has a matte cap;
• The specks of the fly agaric are rare, but of the umbrella they appear with age, as if the skin is cracking, but the central part remains smooth.

But the danger of collecting these mushrooms is also that there is a poisonous umbrella mushroom. There are also several types of them. Some simply cause stomach upset, but some are deadly poisonous. Therefore, you need to know their signs.

Poisonous umbrella mushroom

The scientific name of the umbrella mushroom is macrolepiote. It is clear from it that it is very large in size, because “macro” means “large, large.” But there are also smaller umbrellas in our forests, which are simply called lepiots. The most common of them are lilac and comb lepiota. You need to know them well because they are inedible. What are the characteristics of a poisonous umbrella?

1. The most important thing that distinguishes it from edible is its small size. The diameter of the cap of an adult mushroom is usually 2-6 centimeters, the maximum it can reach is 12 centimeters.
2. All lepiots are similar to fly agarics in that the cap is decorated with the remains of a blanket that covered the small fungus when it climbed out of the ground.
3. Poisonous umbrellas smell unpleasant.

Rules for collecting and eating mushrooms

Types of umbrellas

Five types of these mushrooms are common in our forests:

• white umbrella;
• blushing;
• motley;
• and a very rare species listed in the Red Book - the maiden umbrella.

You can guess their characteristic features by their name, but it is better to know the most common mushrooms well, so as not to make mistakes when collecting.

Variegated umbrella mushroom

This lamellar mushroom is very common in our forests. It actively bears fruit in August-September, but individual specimens can be found in July and October. These mushrooms grow in groups, in the same place every year. The mushroom cap is ovoid, the edges are curved inward and connected by a veil. With age, it opens up and becomes flat with a small tubercle in the middle, reaching a size of 25-30 cm.

The surface of the cap is dry, brownish or gray in color. It is all covered with brown scales, which turn into white flakes at the edges. The pulp is cotton-like, with a pleasant nutty odor. The plates are white, brittle, and slightly pinkish with age. The leg is straight, thin, slightly widening downwards, hollow inside. There is a movable ring at the top. It is brown in color and cracks with age. The variegated umbrella mushroom is considered the most delicious representative of this species. It is fried, salted and even dried. And in France it is valued as a delicacy. Only young mushroom caps are eaten. Sometimes this species reaches enormous sizes - up to 50 centimeters in diameter. Then it is called “big umbrella”. But such specimens are rare.

White umbrellas

These mushrooms grow mainly in fields, along roads, in meadows and pastures. You can find them on lawns in parks and vegetable gardens, as they prefer places well lit by the sun. They are less common than the variegated varieties, but they are also edible and tasty. The white umbrella mushroom is quite small in size. The cap only grows up to 10 centimeters when opened. But only young, egg-shaped mushrooms can be eaten. The leg is very thin, with a slight thickening at the base and a pedicle ring at the top. It can be distinguished from its inedible counterparts by its pleasant smell and always white pulp and plates.

Girl's umbrella

In some books it is not classified as a member of this family, but as a mushroom. The maiden umbrella mushroom is very tasty, but is quite rare, even listed in the Red Book. It is distributed mainly in the south of Europe or in the Primorsky Territory. How to recognize it? Like all umbrellas, the cap first has an ovoid shape, opens with age, but does not grow to a large size - on average 6-10 centimeters. Its color is light hazel, often almost white, darker in the middle. The edges of the cap are thin and fringed. The color of the pulp is white, and the plates darken slightly when touched. The entire surface is covered with large scales, which become darker in color over time. The leg is very thin, widening towards the base, light in color.

Umbrella mushroom blushing

This variety is similar to the Pied and Large Umbrellas, but has some special features. It is sometimes called shaggy because of its large, flocculent scales that are brown in color and square in shape. This is a medium-sized umbrella - it can be about 20 centimeters in diameter. And the leg can grow up to 25 centimeters. Its appearance is like that of all umbrellas: at first the cap is ovoid, then it opens, there is a thickening at the base of the stem and a movable ring. Its peculiarity is the reddish color that appears with age and the fact that the flesh changes color when damaged: first it becomes yellow, then orange and finally turns red. This mushroom is found in light coniferous forests with acidic soils.

How to prepare umbrellas?

This is one of the most delicious mushrooms, and it is very easy to prepare. Umbrellas can be fried immediately after first cleaning and rinsing them under running water.

They are very tasty with potatoes and onions or simply fried in sunflower oil. An unusual dish is obtained by baking umbrellas in the oven with herbs and garlic. Gourmets will like it if, before frying, soak the gibs in milk for several hours, and then boil them a little and let the water drain. You can make soup from umbrellas, salt them, dry them and pickle them. They cook very quickly, the only condition is that you only eat young caps. The legs are not eaten as they are very tough and fibrous. In an old umbrella, the pulp becomes unsuitable for food. Once you try this delicious mushroom, you will never forget its pleasant and unusual nutty taste.

There are many mushroom lovers, but not everyone knows how to collect them. Many people pass by such a tasty mushroom, collecting conditionally edible ones.

Among the little-known mushrooms there is a very exotic one - the edible umbrella mushroom. This species includes three varieties: white umbrella, variegated and blushing. They all belong to saprotrophs, grow at the same time, and appear in the same places. The edible umbrella mushroom amazes the imagination with its size; on spacious sunny edges it reaches unprecedented sizes: the diameter of the cap is 50-60 cm, the height of the stem is 40-45 cm. At the same time, it seems strange that these specimens are edible.

An umbrella is a mushroom (photo above), which belongs to category 4. Although few mushroom pickers would dare to collect these giants because of their resemblance to fly agarics and toadstools. The lamellar fruiting body has a cap on average 15-25 cm in diameter, but it can be much larger. In young mushrooms it is always ovoid, convex, then straightens, becoming like an umbrella. The cap has a peculiar tubercle in the center. Large brown scales remain on the adult fruiting body over the entire surface of the mushroom. The edges hang down slightly and have a fringe. Very specific suggests that this species cannot in any way be edible. Its gigantic size and unusual appearance are more reminiscent of a fly agaric and a toadstool.

However, the younger the umbrella mushroom is edible, the safer and tastier it is. Its pulp is loose, white, very dense, in older specimens it is cotton-like, but with a pleasant aroma and a characteristic mushroom taste.

The leg is very long, brown, 2-3 cm in diameter, up to 30-50 cm high. It is always thickened at the point of contact with the ground. The surface is scaly, the flesh is hard, which is why the legs are often rejected during processing. There is a ring on the body that can be easily moved up and down since it is attached freely. Only edible umbrellas have a characteristic “snake” or scaly pattern, and their poisonous counterparts do not - this is the main distinguishing feature.

You can find edible umbrella mushrooms all over the globe. Their distribution is so wide that almost any deciduous plant can boast of these giants. They can also be found in fields, meadows, and park areas. Fruiting bodies appear at the height of summer and grow until the end of September; especially resistant ones easily survive October frosts, although they lose their beautiful appearance. You can see them in clearings, forest edges, along roads and even in garden plots. In well-lit places it can form impressive colonies, so-called “witch rings”.

The edible umbrella mushroom is usually not prepared for future use; it is good boiled and fried, but is not suitable for preservation. At the same time, only the caps of especially large specimens are taken for cooking. When choosing them you need to be extremely careful. As soon as the umbrella cap opens completely, the mushroom becomes unfit for consumption.

The edible umbrella mushroom, according to many experienced mushroom pickers, is one of the most delicious and healthy representatives of the mushroom kingdom. Umbrellas belong to the Champignon family. Unfortunately, they are not very popular in our country, which is due to their similarity to some types of deadly poisonous mushrooms.

Botanical description

Huge representatives of this species, reminiscent of giant umbrellas, arranged in a characteristic “witch’s circle”, are quite often found in forest areas.

These reach a height of 0.35-0.45 m, and the diameter of the cap reaches 0.25-0.35 m. In young specimens, the plates are closely pressed against the stem; with age they become horizontal. There are many types of umbrellas, the main ones are presented in the table.

Photo gallery

Most edible mushrooms growing in our country have poisonous counterparts, and the umbrella species is no exception in this regard. The false or inedible umbrella mushroom comes in two main varieties:

• lead slag chlorophyllum (Chlorophyllum molybdites);
• dark brown chlorophyllum (Chlorophyllum brunneum).

Both species, due to the soil and climatic characteristics of our country, are not widespread in Russia and are found mainly in America, Eurasia, Australia and Africa.

Umbrella mushroom: features of collection (video)

Many inexperienced mushroom pickers confuse Macrolepiota with fly agarics . However, these two species can be easily distinguished by the following characteristics:

• the presence of a three-layer ring on the Macrolepiota stalk, which can be easily moved both up and down;
• the umbrellas have completely no remains of the covering on the stem;
• fly agarics have a smooth and shiny cap, while Macrolepiota is characterized by a matte surface.

Edible umbrellas are characterized by pronounced cracking of the skin, but in the central part it always remains intact.

Distribution area

The umbrella belongs to the category of saprotrophs and prefers sandy soils in light forests. Quite often found in clearings and forest edges, and also thrives in forest clearings or clearings. In some years it can be found in open areas; recently it has become a frequent visitor to forested areas and garden plots. Grows best in temperate climates.

Fruiting occurs from early summer to mid-autumn. The lamellar mushroom grows singly or in small groups. The species is prone to the formation of “witch circles”.

Cooking methods

Preparing Macrolepiota dishes is very simple. These mushrooms are suitable for making soups, very tasty and nutritious second courses, and cold appetizers.

Even novice housewives can cook aromatic soup from umbrellas:

• rinse and soak the mushrooms for a couple of hours in cold and salted water;
• Wash the mushrooms again and cut into small pieces;
• chop onions and potatoes;
• grate the peeled carrots on a coarse grater;
• sauté onions and carrots in vegetable oil until tender;
• add water to the mushrooms, bring to a boil and cook for 20-25 minutes;
• add potatoes to the soup, and after 15 minutes add the sauté and spices and cook until tender.

Mushroom soup should be served with fresh herbs and fresh sour cream.

Baked umbrellas, which are prepared according to the following recipe, have a unique mushroom aroma and delicate taste:

• Carefully peel and rinse the mushrooms, remove the stems completely;
• In a blender, beat eggs with salt and chopped garlic;
• Dip mushroom caps into egg mixture and roll in breadcrumbs.

The resulting mushroom preparations can be baked in the oven or fried in a hot frying pan until golden brown. This dish can be consumed not only hot, but also cold.

or a shaggy umbrella

- edible mushroom

✎ Affiliation and generic characteristics

Blushing umbrella mushroom- an edible species of the genus Chlorophyllum (Latin Chlorophyllum), which is part of the large family of champignons (Latin Agaricaceae), which is included in the order Agaricales (Latin Agaricales).
Detailed phylogenetic studies have shown that the red umbrella mushroom is closely related to the American species that does not have a Russian synonym - Chlorophyllum molybdites, and not to the variegated umbrella (lat. Macrolepiota procera), therefore it was proposed to classify it in the genus Chlorophyllum, and not Macrolepiota.
Among the umbrella mushrooms, the red umbrella is a common and very noticeable mushroom. People call him shaggy umbrella for the peculiar scaly cover of his hat, reminiscent of “rags” and “scraps of clothing”, moreover, coupled with a torn shaggy veil-like ring around his leg.
In the literature on mycology, the specific epithet of the blushing umbrella may be written as rachodes rather than rhacodes. This spelling was used by the famous Italian mycologist and physician Carlo Vittadini (1800 - 1865) in his first publication of this species in 1835, but it is erroneous, because the correct term comes from the Greek word rhakos ("rags" , "scraps of clothing").

✎ Similar species and nutritional value

Umbrella blushing looks similar to some species from its own family, for example:
- maiden umbrella (lat. Leucoagaricus nympharum), which many respected mycological researchers generally consider to be a type of blushing umbrella, but in the new taxonomy of mushrooms it has already been established as an independent, but extremely rare species, assigned to the genus white champignon or leucoagaricus (lat. Leucoagaricus), listed in the Red Book of Russia and Belarus;
- graceful (thin) umbrella (lat. Leucoagaricus gracilenta) and similar species, which are usually smaller in size, with a more slender stem and pulp that does not turn red when cut or broken;
- a variegated umbrella, which is much larger than a blushing umbrella and the flesh of which never changes its color.
But such confusion does not carry any threats, because they are all edible mushrooms. It will be much worse if you confuse the red umbrella with poisonous mushrooms:
- lead-slag chlorophyllum (lat. Chlorophyllum molybdites), which, yes, is also from the champignon family and, although outwardly reminiscent of edible species, is in fact poisonous and very dangerous, it is slightly smaller in size than the blushing umbrella and is distinguished by a lighter skin of the cap and red -brown when pressed with pulp;
- dark brown chlorophyllum (lat. Chlorophyllum brunneum), classified in the genus Chlorophyllum of the champignon family, which also resembles some edible species, but is also poisonous and dangerous, and is much smaller in size than the blushing umbrella, and it differs from it in the lighter skin of the cap with large brownish lagging scales and orangeish or grayish-red pulp when pressed;
- poisonous lepiota, which is highly poisonous and dangerous, but in appearance it is much smaller in size than the blushing umbrella and is distinguished by gray-pink skin on the cap and pinkish flesh on the cut;
- lepiota squamosus, which is also highly poisonous and much smaller than the blushing umbrella and is distinguished by a creamy-gray-brown skin of the cap with dark scales arranged in concentric circles, converging in the center and forming a continuous cover of brownish-cherry color, pulp with the smell of fruit in fresh mushrooms and Dry and old mushrooms have an unpleasant smell of bitter almonds.
But the worst thing is that inexperienced mushroom pickers can confuse a red umbrella with a deadly poisonous one.
- panther fly agaric, which, like the blushing umbrella, is found only in forests during the same period and has a free volva (a clearly visible thickening in the form of a bag) at the base of its leg, which sometimes is not visible, because it can be located in soil; olive-brown smooth cap with white or slightly cream-colored flakes; pulp with a very unpleasant, fetid odor.
And if this happens, then something irreparable happens, which is scary to even think about. That is why for most mushroom pickers all umbrella mushrooms arouse fair suspicion, and therefore they rightfully become legitimate prey only for experienced mushroom pickers who are well versed not only in umbrellas, but also in all mushrooms.
Based on its consumer and taste characteristics, the blushing umbrella belongs to the edible mushrooms of the fourth category and in very rare cases it can cause mild gastric poisoning and allergic reactions in the form of a skin rash.

✎ Distribution in nature and seasonality

The blushing umbrella is a common soil saprotroph and, among many umbrella mushrooms, it is a very common medium-sized mushroom and grows well on fertile humus soils in light coniferous and mixed forests, in clearings and forest edges, clearings and clearings, in gardens or parks, and is found in meadows, fields and steppes, alone or in small groups. The habitat halo of the red umbrella is also large, like that of the white umbrella or the motley umbrella, and it will be much easier to say where it cannot be found than to list all the places where it is present, which are on all continents except the ice of Antarctica.
Its active growth, however, just like that of a white umbrella or a variegated umbrella, begins every year at different times, but always somewhat later than theirs. So, usually, the beginning of the ripening season for the blushing umbrella always coincides with the beginning of heavy summer rains, already at the end of June and lasts until the end of October.

✎ Brief description and application

The blushing umbrella is a representative of the section of agaric mushrooms. Its plates are white or cream-colored, frequent, thin, loose and widened in the middle part, with smooth edges and are easily separated from the cap, and when pressed they turn orange-red. The cap is fleshy, initially spherical or egg-shaped, then opens and becomes bell-shaped or flat, umbrella-shaped, with a wide smooth tubercle in the center. The edges of the cap are first rolled up, later straightened, and sometimes crack. The surface of the cap is dry to the touch, beige or gray-brown in color, with a reddish tint, darker towards the center, covered with large fibrous quadrangular scales arranged in circles. The leg is cylindrical and tapers upward, thin, long, smooth, hollow inside, thickened at the base and separated from the cap by a dense ring-cuff, in the form of a fringe, pale pinkish in color. The surface of the stalk is finely fibrous, whitish or brownish in color. The pulp is loose, tender in the cap, hard-fibrous in the stem, white in color, when cut it becomes reddish-brown (especially in the stem), with a strong odor and a weakly expressed but pleasant taste.

Only the caps (preferably young mushrooms) are suitable for eating the fruits of the blushing umbrella; the stems are too hard and have no nutritional value. Before cooking these mushrooms, their caps should be thoroughly cleaned of scales, and the stems should be removed altogether. Blushing umbrella mushrooms are usually consumed freshly prepared, but you can also dry them and then prepare mushroom powder from them for mushroom seasonings. Salting and pickling them is not recommended.

• Division: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
• Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
• Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
• Subclass: Agaricomycetidae (Agaricomycetes)
• Order: Agaricales (Agaric or Lamellar)
• Family: Agaricaceae (Champignonaceae)
• Genus: Chlorophyllum (Chlorophyllum)
• View: Chlorophyllum rhacodes (Redging Umbrella)

Synonyms:

• Shaggy umbrella

• Chicken coop

Hat:
The red umbrella has a cap diameter of 10-15 cm (up to 30), first ovoid or spherical, then hemispherical, umbrella-shaped. The color of the cap is brown, with various shades. Adult specimens are densely covered with fibrous, tile-like scales of brown color, which are completely absent in young specimens. In the center the cap is darker, without scales. The pulp is white, thick, becomes cottony with age, and turns deep red when cut. The smell and taste are weak and pleasant.

Records:
The plates of the blushing umbrella are attached to the collarium (a cartilaginous ring at the junction of the cap and the stalk), frequent, initially creamy-white, then with a reddish tint.

Spore powder:
White.

Leg:
Long, up to 20 cm, 1-2 cm in diameter, strongly thickened at the bottom when young, then cylindrical with a tuberous base, hollow, fibrous, smooth, gray-brown. It is often deeply buried in fallen pine needles. The ring is not wide, collected, mobile, brownish.

Spreading:
The red umbrella grows from July to the end of October in spruce and mixed forests, often adjacent to anthills. During the period of abundant fruiting (usually the end of August) it can grow in very large groups. It can also bear fruit abundantly in October, during the period of “late mushrooms.”

Similar species:
Often confused with, from which it differs in its place of growth (although not always), smaller size, much more shaggy cap, smooth stem (it is covered with transverse cracks and small scales), a darker ring, and most importantly - rapidly reddening flesh at the break, especially in the leg.

Edibility:
Among understanding people, the blushing umbrella is considered an excellent edible mushroom. The legs are said to be inedible due to their toughness. I would argue with both the first and second statements...

Notes
Needless to say, an umbrella is a beautiful mushroom. Of course, this species, in contrast, is devoid of any grotesqueness, and rarely grows to the size of a good stool, but this, in my opinion, is already unnecessary. The blushing umbrella is a bright mushroom with a well-established character; meeting it is always a holiday. But it may not be worth depriving the old dark spruce tree of such decoration: its gastronomic glory, in my opinion, is greatly exaggerated. Cotton astringent pulp will please only the most dedicated amateur. In a hungry year, however, you can chew the elastic, fibrous legs after marinating them with spices. It turns out a little worse.