John Miller
The Weeping Widow mushroom, or Lacrymaria lacrymabunda, is a species of fungus found in North America, Central America, Europe, northern Asia, and New Zealand. It is known for the black, watery droplets that appear on the cap rim and gill edges when moist, giving it its name. Despite its ominous moniker, the Weeping Widow is not a poisonous mushroom, but it is edible when cooked soon after gathering. However, it has a bitter taste, and some people have reported stomach upset after consuming it. So, are these mushrooms psychedelic?
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What You'll Learn
Weeping Widow mushrooms are not psychedelic
Weeping Widow mushrooms (Lacrymaria lacrymabunda) are not psychedelic. They are a species of fungus in the family Psathyrellaceae. They are commonly found in North America, Central America, Europe, northern Asia, and New Zealand, where they grow on disturbed ground in woodland areas, gardens, and parks.
The Weeping Widow mushroom gets its name from the black, watery droplets that appear at the rim of its cap and on the edges of its gills when moist. This mushroom is not poisonous and is edible, although some people have reported developing stomach upset after consuming it. It has a bitter taste, and its cap is yellowish to grayish, sometimes with orange hints in the center, and can reach up to 8 cm in width.
While the Weeping Widow mushroom is not psychedelic, it is important to note that it can accumulate toxins when growing on roadside grass verges due to traffic-related pollution. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid consuming mushrooms foraged from the sides of busy roads.
When identifying and consuming wild mushrooms, it is crucial to be certain of their edibility and to be aware of any potential allergies. Always stay safe when foraging and consuming wild mushrooms, and if you are unsure, it is best to avoid consuming them.
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Weeping Widow mushrooms are edible but bitter
The Weeping Widow mushroom, or Lacrymaria lacrymabunda, is a species of fungus in the family Psathyrellaceae. It is commonly found in grassland habitats, including parks, open woodlands, lawns, fields, and roadside verges. While it is known for its distinctive appearance, with a yellowish to grayish cap and black, watery droplets that form on the cap's rim and gill edges when moist, the mushroom has a bitter taste, making it unappealing to some.
Despite its ominous name and sombre appearance, the Weeping Widow mushroom is not poisonous and is, in fact, edible. However, some individuals have reported developing stomach upset after consuming it. It is important to exercise caution and proper identification before consuming any wild mushroom, including the Weeping Widow.
The Weeping Widow mushroom is distinguished by its medium-sized, convex-shaped cap, which is yellow to ochre-brown with a persistent central umbo (rounded bump) and a fine fibrous texture. The cap can reach widths of up to 8 centimetres and often has a woolly fringe created by the hanging fibres. The gills of the mushroom start as yellow-brown but quickly turn dark brown to purple and eventually blacken with the release of spores.
The bitter taste of the Weeping Widow mushroom may be counteracted through specific preparation methods. For instance, cooking the mushroom with butter or deep frying it can help to reduce its bitterness. Serving the cooked mushroom with a sweet pickle is another way to balance out its bitter flavour. However, it is important to cook and consume the mushroom soon after gathering, as it tends to turn into a black, soggy mess if left for too long.
The Weeping Widow mushroom is found in various regions, including Britain, Ireland, mainland Europe, North America, and New Zealand. It typically grows on disturbed ground in woodlands, gardens, and parks. When foraging for the Weeping Widow mushroom, it is important to avoid harvesting from the sides of busy roads, as the mushrooms can accumulate traffic-related toxins.
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They are also known as Lacrymaria lacrymabunda
The Weeping Widow mushroom, also known as Lacrymaria lacrymabunda, is a species of fungus in the family Psathyrellaceae. It was first described by French mycologist Jean Baptiste Francois (Pierre) Bulliard in 1785, who gave it the binomial name Agaricus lacrymabundus. However, it was later transferred to its present genus by another French taxonomist, Narcisse Theophile Patouillard, in 1887. This transfer established its currently accepted scientific name, Lacrymaria lacrymabunda.
The generic name Lacrymaria means "producing tears" or "crying", which is fitting given the mushroom's tendency to form droplets of water, often blackened by spores, that drip from the edges of its cap. This feature is also the origin of its common name, the Weeping Widow. The specific epithet, lacrymabunda, reinforces the idea of tearfulness or an abundance of tears.
Lacrymaria lacrymabunda is found in various parts of the world, including Britain, Ireland, mainland Europe, North America, Central America, northern Asia, and New Zealand. It typically grows on disturbed ground in woodlands, gardens, parks, grasslands, lawns, fields, and roadside verges. The mushroom has a yellowish to grayish cap, sometimes with orange hints in the centre, and can be up to 8 centimetres wide. The gills of the mushroom are adnate but may appear adnexed, and they start as yellow-brown before turning dark brown-purple with a light edge that eventually turns black with the release of spores. The stem can be up to 13 centimetres long and 1.5 centimetres wide, and the spore print is blackish-brown.
While Lacrymaria lacrymabunda is reported to be edible, it has a bitter taste, and unless it is cooked and consumed soon after gathering, it tends to turn meals into a black and soggy mess. Some people have also reported stomach upset after consuming this mushroom.
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The mushroom is found in North America, Europe, and Asia
The Weeping Widow mushroom, or Lacrymaria lacrymabunda, is a species of fungus in the family Psathyrellaceae. It is commonly referred to as the Weeping Widow because of the black, watery droplets that appear at the cap's rim and on the edges of the gills when they are moist. This mushroom is found in North America, Europe, and Asia, as well as Central America, New Zealand, and northern Africa.
In North America, the Weeping Widow mushroom is found in various habitats, including grasslands, open woodlands, lawns, fields, and roadside verges. It is also a fairly frequent find in most parts of Britain and Ireland, where it occurs throughout mainland Europe. In these regions, the mushroom is an occasional species in parkland, woodlands, and other green spaces.
The Weeping Widow mushroom has a yellowish to grayish cap that is up to 8 centimetres wide and sometimes has an orangish centre. The gills are dark brown or purple, and the stem is up to 13 centimetres long and 1.5 centimetres wide. The spore print is blackish-brown. This mushroom is reported to be edible, but some individuals have experienced stomach upset after consuming it. It is important to cook and eat this mushroom soon after gathering, as it tends to turn into a black, soggy mess if left for too long.
In Europe, the Weeping Widow mushroom can be found in various habitats, including disturbed ground in woodlands, gardens, and parks. It is often found on tufted grass in parks, near gravel and paving. The mushroom is also known to grow in churchyards, adding a poignant touch to its English name.
In Asia, the Weeping Widow mushroom is found in northern regions, specifically in grassland and woodland habitats. The mushroom is likely to be found in similar habitats across Central America and New Zealand as well. While the Weeping Widow mushroom is not poisonous, its bitter taste may make it unappealing to some.
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It has black, watery droplets on the rim of its cap
The Weeping Widow mushroom (Lacrymaria lacrymabunda) is a species of fungus in the family Psathyrellaceae. It is commonly recognised by the black, watery droplets that form on the rim of its cap. This mushroom is not poisonous, but its bitter taste makes it rather unappetising. However, some sources suggest that it can be made edible by cooking it with butter or deep-frying it and serving it with a sweet pickle to balance the bitterness.
The mushroom's cap is yellowish to grayish, sometimes with orange hints in the centre, and is covered in red-brown/yellow-brown hair-like fibres. The cap is initially bell-shaped and then flattens out, retaining a rounded bump in the centre. The fibres run from the centre of the cap to its edges, where they can hang and give the edge of the cap a woolly fringe. The fringe can be stained black by the mushroom's spores, which are inky black and tend to leave their mark.
The Weeping Widow mushroom is found in grassland habitats, including open woodland, lawns, fields, and roadside verges. It is commonly found in Britain, Ireland, mainland Europe, and North America. It grows on disturbed ground in woodland, gardens, and parks, and tends to fruit in small groups or clumps. However, it is important to note that mushrooms found on roadside grass verges may accumulate traffic-related toxins and should be avoided when foraging.
The mushroom's gills are initially yellow-brown but quickly turn dark brown and mottled, and finally blackened. When the mushroom is moist, droplets of water stained with black spores hang on the edges of the gills, giving the mushroom its characteristic "weeping" appearance.
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Frequently asked questions
No, weeping widow mushrooms are not poisonous. However, they have a bitter taste, making them rather inedible.
No, weeping widow mushrooms are not psychedelic.
Weeping widow mushrooms are found in North America, Central America, Europe, northern Asia, and New Zealand. They grow on disturbed ground in woodland, gardens, parks, grassland, lawns, fields, and roadside verges.
