Michael Davis
Identifying mushrooms is a complex process that requires a keen eye for detail. While colour and size are important factors, there are several other characteristics to observe. These include the presence of gills or pores, the shape and structure of the cap and stem, the substrate or material the mushroom is growing from, and its chemical reactions to certain substances. Additionally, creating a spore print can help determine spore colour, which is an important trait for identification. With practice and the use of reliable resources, such as guidebooks and expert advice, one can improve their mushroom identification skills and distinguish the vast array of mushroom species.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cap colour | Tan or brown (porcini), yellow to golden-yellow (chanterelle), white (agarics), etc. |
| Gills/Pores | Gills: Agarics have pink to brown/black gills; Milkcaps exude a milky substance from their gills; Boletes have sponge-like pores instead of gills |
| Size | Porcinis have thick bulbous stems; Chanterelles have small caps |
| Shape | Chanterelles have concave caps and trumpet-shaped stalks; Agarics have a skirt-like shape |
| Texture | Boletes have stout stems |
| Ring | Avoid mushrooms with a ring around the stem or a second veil-like ring of tissue beneath the cap |
| Smell | Edible Agarics smell pleasantly of mushroom, with hints of aniseed or almond; toxic mushrooms smell chemically |
| Bruising | If an Agaric bruises and stains bright chrome yellow, it is likely poisonous; if it stains pale yellow, pink, or red, it is likely edible |
| Red colouration | If there is any red on a Bolete mushroom, treat it as poisonous |
| Blue staining | If a Bolete is cut and stains blue, treat it as poisonous |
| Habitat | Porcinis grow near spruces, firs, and pines; Chanterelles are found under hardwood trees and conifers; some mushrooms grow on trees, logs, or moss |
| Growth pattern | Some mushrooms grow in clusters, while others grow singly or in a ring, troop, or tuft |
| Teeth | Some mushrooms have small "teeth" or spines hanging from the underside of the cap instead of gills |
| Spines | Some mushrooms have blunt, forked ridges instead of gills |
| Apps | Picture Mushroom can help identify mushrooms through uploaded photos |
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What You'll Learn
Observe more than colour and size
While colour and size are important factors in mushroom identification, there are many other characteristics to observe. Firstly, examine the underside of the cap. If it has gills, these will be thin strips of tissue, arranged in a spoke-like manner around the stem. Gills can be forked, crinkled, crisped, sawtoothed, serrated, or fringed. They can also be marginate, meaning the edges are a different colour from the faces. Some mushrooms have ridges that resemble gills, but these are actually false gills. The gills' width, thickness, density, colour, and the way they are attached to the stem are also important features. Free gills are not attached to the stem, adnate gills are broadly attached, decurrent gills extend down the stem, adnexed gills are attached at a narrow angle, and emarginate gills are notched before reaching the stem.
Another important characteristic is the presence of pores, which are spongy and found on the underside of the cap. Some mushrooms have neither gills nor pores, but instead have teeth. The stem can be hollow or solid, tough or fragile, slimy, sticky or dry, and long or short. It may have a ring, a volva at the base, or a bulb. The surface texture and colour changes are also distinctive features.
The habitat of the mushroom is also important. Some fungi grow on grass, wood chips, dung, or in woods, while others grow on decaying wood or on living trees. Some colonise rotting logs or form a symbiotic relationship with the roots of certain trees.
Finally, the spores are one of the most important features used to identify mushrooms. Spore prints can be made by placing a mature mushroom cap-down on a piece of paper and leaving it overnight. The spores will leave a coloured powder, which can be white, cream, pink, brown, black, or yellow. Spore size, shape, and colour can be viewed under a microscope and used to help identify the species.
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Identify the substrate
A mushroom substrate is a medium that allows mushroom mycelium – the vegetative part of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching threads called hyphae – to develop and establish itself. The substrate provides mushrooms with the nutrients, moisture, and energy they need to grow and fruit.
There are a wide range of materials that can be used as a substrate to grow mushrooms. Some are fairly conventional, while others are newer and more experimental. Here are some of the most common substrates used by mushroom growers:
- Straw is an inexpensive and effective substrate choice. It is available at farm shops, pet stores, and other locations that sell animal feed or bedding. It can be used on its own or with additives to provide additional nutrients.
- Sawdust or wood chips are another great substrate choice for many types of mushrooms. The species of tree from which the material is sourced matters, but many hardwoods are appropriate, and material from several species can be blended.
- Logs are a common substrate for mushrooms, especially for those growing in the wild. However, it takes a while for mycelium to colonize a log and start fruiting, often a year or longer.
- Coffee grounds are another option. The brewing process pasteurizes the grounds, and growers can obtain used coffee grounds from local coffee shops for free.
When choosing a mushroom substrate, it is important to match the substrate to the mushroom species. Different species of mushrooms have their own preferences for substrates, so choosing the right one can make or break a mushroom-growing project.
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Examine the underside of the cap
Examining the underside of a mushroom's cap is a crucial step in identification. This is often where spores are formed, and different mushrooms will have different features on their undersides.
If the underside of the cap has narrow strips arranged radially around the stem, these are called gills, and the mushroom belongs to the gilled mushroom group, which includes russulas, amanitas, and many others. The gills can be white, tan, brown, grey, or brown and may be attached to the stem or slightly free. Some mushrooms have gills that weep a milky liquid, known as latex. The gills can also vary in width, thickness, and density, and in the way they are attached to the stem, which can help with identification. For example, they can be attached, notched, decurrent, strongly decurrent, or free.
Some mushrooms have ridges that resemble gills but are not true gills, and these are known as false gills. False gills are found on the Cinnabar Chanterelle, for example.
If there are small holes on the underside of the cap, the mushroom is a "pored mushroom". If the mushroom is soft and the pore layer can be easily detached, it is a bolete. A hard, woody, or tough mushroom, often without a stem but sometimes with one, is a polypore. Polypores are also known as bracket fungi because their fruiting bodies often resemble shelves or brackets that grow on trees or logs.
If the underside of the cap is full of spines, it is a hedgehog mushroom. Some mushrooms have teeth or spines hanging under the cap, such as the cauliflower mushroom.
Mushrooms in the Lycoperdon, Calvatia, and Bovista genuses, also known as puffballs, have round, ball-shaped fruiting bodies that release spores through an opening at the top.
To determine the colour of the spores, you can make a spore print by laying the cap of a fresh mushroom on a sheet of paper and waiting a few hours.
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Look for false gills
Chanterelle mushrooms are among the top edible mushroom species, but their look-alike counterparts, known as false chanterelles, can lead to unpleasant gastrointestinal distress if consumed. Therefore, it is crucial to be able to differentiate between the two. One key distinguishing factor is the presence of false gills on chanterelle mushrooms.
Chanterelle mushrooms have false gills, which are forked ridges or folds that run down the stem rather than terminating at the cap. These false gills create a distinct forked, wrinkled, or folded appearance, resembling ridges or lines, instead of the sharp gills found on other mushrooms. The false gills do not detach easily from the stem or cap without causing damage to the stem. This is an important characteristic to look for when identifying chanterelles.
False chanterelles, on the other hand, have true gills that are thin, blade-like, and easily scraped off. The gills on false chanterelles are also described as straighter compared to the forked gills of chanterelles. Therefore, examining the gills is a critical step in distinguishing between chanterelles and false chanterelles.
To identify false gills, it is recommended to study pictures, search the internet, and refer to mushroom foraging books. By familiarizing yourself with the appearance of false gills, you can improve your ability to identify chanterelle mushrooms confidently and avoid potential toxic look-alikes. Remember, proper identification of chanterelle mushrooms is crucial if you plan to harvest them from the wild.
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Check for chemical reactions
When identifying mushrooms, it's important to test only fresh mushrooms for chemical reactions. Some of the most useful chemical tests for mushroom identification are Melzer's reagent, potassium hydroxide (KOH), and household ammonia (NH4OH).
For Melzer's reagent, a couple of drops are placed on the flesh of the mushroom. For example, Boletus spadiceus gives a blue to blue-green reaction.
For KOH, a 3-10% solution will give a colour change in some species of mushrooms. For example, some species of Agaricus such as A. xanthodermus turn yellow with KOH, while A. subrutilescens turns green. You can purchase KOH from online retailers. To test a mushroom, place a drop on the cap, stem, sliced flesh, and pore surface for boletes; apply to the flesh and cap surface for polypores; and place a drop on the cap surface for gilled mushrooms.
For household ammonia, place a drop on a fresh bolete’s cap, stem, sliced flesh, and pore surface. This test is primarily used for the identification of boletes.
Iron salts (FeSO4) are another common reagent used in Russula and Bolete identification. Dissolve the salts in water (typically a 10% solution) and then apply to the flesh, or apply the dry salts directly to see a colour change. For example, the white flesh of Boletus chrysenteron stains lemon-yellow or olive. There are three expected results with the iron salts test: no change indicates a negative reaction; a colour change to olive, green, or blackish green; or a colour change to reddish-pink.
Finally, Schaeffer's test, developed by Julius Schäffer to help identify Agaricus species, uses the reaction of aniline and nitric acid on the surface of the mushroom. A positive reaction, indicated by an orange to red colour, is characteristic of species in the section Flavescentes.
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Frequently asked questions
Identifying mushrooms is a complex process that requires a lot of practice. It involves observing factors such as the substrate the mushroom is growing from (soil, living trees, or rotting wood), its colour, size, and shape. You can also examine the underside of the cap, which is often the fertile surface where spores are formed, to look for gills or pores.
Common characteristics used to identify mushrooms include the presence of rings on the stem, scales on the cap, and the colour and shape of the gills. Some mushrooms have blunt, forked ridges instead of true gills, while others exhibit a chemical reaction when exposed to certain substances. Additionally, some mushrooms exude droplets of milky-white, coloured, or transparent liquid when damaged.
While there are mushroom identification apps available, their accuracy and convenience have been questioned. It is recommended to use field guides organised by spore colour, highly-rated guidebooks specific to your region, and online resources like iNaturalist to narrow down the possibilities. Consulting with experts from local mushroom clubs or arboretums can also aid in accurate identification.
