Emma Wilson
Mushrooms are a type of fungus with a stem and a cap. They are not plants or animals but exist in their own kingdom. While some mushrooms are easy to identify, such as the bolete with its separate cap and stem, others can be challenging to distinguish, even from pictures. For beginners, it is important to examine the mushroom's characteristics, such as its colour, gills, pores, size, and habitat. The substrate, or material the mushroom grows from, can also provide clues about its identity. Additionally, creating a spore print by placing the cap on a sheet of paper can reveal the spore colour, which is an important trait for identification. While apps like Picture Mushroom can assist in mushroom identification, they may not always be accurate, and it is crucial to seek expert advice before consuming any wild mushrooms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cap | Vase-shaped, convex, or funnel-shaped |
| Underside of the cap | Wrinkles, gills, pores, or teeth |
| Stem | Separate from the cap, fibrous, smooth, or slightly fibrous |
| Habitat | Soil, living trees, or rotting wood |
| Spore print | Produced by laying the cap of a fresh mushroom on a sheet of paper |
| Color | Orange-yellow, whitish |
| Size | Large or small |
| Texture | Smooth or tough |
| Shape | Overlapping, shelf-like |
| Chemical reaction | Some mushrooms display a chemical reaction when exposed to certain substances |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Look beyond colour and size
While colour and size are important factors in mushroom identification, there are several other characteristics to observe.
Firstly, the presence of pores or gills is a crucial distinction. Some mushrooms, like boletes, have a spongy layer of pores instead of gills. Chanterelles, on the other hand, have "false gills", which are wrinkled folds.
The shape and texture of the cap are also important. Caps can be convex, bell-shaped, or flat, and may have scales or fibres on them. Some caps are sticky to the touch. The cap of the mushroom may also provide clues about its edibility. Generally, choose mushrooms with tan, brown, or white caps and avoid those with red caps or white gills, as these can be poisonous. Additionally, look out for thin fissures or cracks on the cap, which can be a distinctive feature of certain species.
The stem is another distinguishing feature. Some mushrooms have thick bulbous stems, while others have slender stems. The presence of a ring or partial veil around the stem is also a notable characteristic.
The habitat and season in which the mushroom appears can also provide valuable clues. For example, porcini mushrooms are typically found near spruces, firs, and pines, and are ready to harvest in early fall at lower elevations and summer at higher elevations. Chanterelles are often found under hardwood trees and conifers in the fall to early spring.
Finally, the bruising characteristics of the mushroom can be important. Some mushrooms bruise inconsistently, while others may bruise reddish, then slowly turn black.
The Magic Behind Laughing Mushrooms
You may want to see also
Examine the underside of the cap
Examining the underside of a mushroom's cap is critical for identification. This is often where spores are produced, and the structure varies significantly between species.
The undersides of mushroom caps can have gills, pores, spines, or teeth. Gills can be grey or brown, and may be attached to the stem or slightly free. They can also vary in the way they are attached to the stalk, which can help with identification. For example, gills can be attached, notched, decurrent, strongly decurrent, or free. Some mushrooms have ridges that look like gills, but are actually "false gills". False gills are wrinkled folds that can be found on chanterelles.
Some mushrooms have pores instead of gills. For example, boletes and polypores have pores, while hedgehog mushrooms have spines. The pore surface on boletes may produce a bruising reaction when touched. Polypores are also known as bracket fungi because they grow on trees or logs and resemble shelves or brackets.
To identify the colour of the spores, you can create a spore print. Place the underside of the mushroom cap on a sheet of paper and wait a few hours. The spores will fall onto the paper, creating a spore print. Spore prints can be used to determine spore colour, which is an important trait for identification.
Red Mushrooms: Myth or Reality?
You may want to see also
Identify the substrate
The substrate is the foundation upon which mushrooms flourish, and it is where they get their nutrients, moisture, and energy. It is akin to soil for plants, but the way mushrooms utilise it is different. Mushrooms grow on various agricultural and urban waste products, such as straw, hardwood sawdust, spent coffee grounds, banana leaves, and more.
When choosing a substrate, it is important to know that different mushroom species have different preferences. For example, oyster mushrooms thrive on straw, while shiitake mushrooms prefer hardwood. The substrate should be dense in woody, fibrous materials like lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose, which contain a lot of carbon—the main food source for the mycelium. The substrate should also contain a modest amount of magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur, and phosphorus. These minerals are usually present in raw substrates but may need to be supplemented.
The substrate should be slightly acidic, with a pH level of 5–6.5, although some mushrooms, like oyster mushrooms, can tolerate a pH of up to 8. It should have a moisture content of 50–70% and allow for air exchange, which is necessary for the mycelium to colonise well.
Before inoculating the substrate with mushroom spores or mycelium, it needs to be prepared. This involves adding water and potentially extra nutrients, as well as sterilising or pasteurising to reduce contaminants and give the mushrooms a head start. Pasteurisation involves heating the substrate to 150–185 °F, while sterilisation involves much higher temperatures above 250 °F.
The Art of Sterilizing Mushroom Substrate: A Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$7.62 $14.95
Observe chemical reactions
Observing chemical reactions is a crucial step in identifying mushrooms, especially when it comes to distinguishing between edible and poisonous varieties. Here are some common chemical tests used for mushroom identification:
Melzer's Reagent and Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)
The application of Melzer's reagent or a KOH solution to the flesh of a mushroom can induce a colour change, aiding in its identification. For example, a few drops of KOH on the flesh of Boletus spadiceus will turn it blue to blue-green. A 3-10% KOH solution can also cause a distinctive colour change in some species of Agaricus and Cortinarius.
Schaeffer's Test
Developed by Julius Schäffer, this test is useful for identifying Agaricus species. It involves drawing two intersecting lines on the surface of the mushroom cap. One line is drawn with aniline or aniline water, and the second with an aqueous solution of 65% nitric acid. A positive reaction, indicated by an orange to red colour change, is characteristic of species in the section Flavescentes.
Iron Salts (FeSO4)
Iron salts are commonly used in Russula and Bolete identification. A 10% aqueous solution of iron salts is typically applied to the flesh or stem of the mushroom, sometimes directly in dry salt form. For example, the white flesh of Boletus chrysenteron will stain lemon-yellow or olive. No colour change indicates a negative reaction, while a colour change to olive, green, blackish-green, or reddish-pink is indicative of certain mushroom species.
Psilocybin Tests
Psilocybin is the key psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms, and several chemical tests can detect its presence. The Marquis test produces a yellow colour, while the Mandelin reagent turns green. However, these tests are not specific to psilocybin and will react with other controlled drugs. More specific tests include Ehrlich's reagent and DMACA reagent, which are used as chemical sprays after thin-layer chromatography.
Meixner Test (Wieland Test)
The Meixner test, also known as the Wieland test, uses concentrated hydrochloric acid and newspaper to test for the presence of deadly amatoxins found in some species of Amanita.
It is important to note that chemical tests are just one aspect of mushroom identification, and morphological features such as cap colour, shape, gill size, and shape should also be considered for accurate identification.
Mushroom Hunting in Oregon: Where to Buy?
You may want to see also
Use a guidebook or app
While mushroom identification is no easy feat, even for experts, there are several guidebooks and apps that can help you along the way.
Guidebooks
A good guidebook is one of the best tools for mushroom identification. When exploring, a book can help you compare the mushrooms you find with clear descriptions and photos. Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora is a highly comprehensive guidebook, with information on over 2000 species and tons of helpful pictures. It is organized as a dichotomous key, meaning it is useful for identifying mushrooms in ways other than simply comparing pictures. The National Audubon Society Field Guide to Mushrooms is another guidebook option.
Apps
If you prefer using technology, there are several apps designed to help you identify mushrooms in the wild. Simply snap a picture of the mushroom and the app will help you narrow down what you've found. The Picture Mushroom app is one such option, which provides suggestions for what species you've found based on photo submissions. It also offers information on mushroom names, habitats, ways of identifying, and articles about mushrooms. However, it should be noted that this app shares your photo and exact address with other app users. Shroomify is another beginner-friendly app focused solely on mushrooms. iNaturalist connects you to a community of naturalists who can help verify your findings. The algorithm is relatively good at narrowing things down to genus or family. Roger's Mushrooms App for IOS and Android features identification for over 1600 species with over 2600 high-res pictures. Fungitron is another app that can be useful if you are mushroom hunting in a place with no phone service. Although it doesn't have any advantages over a guidebook, it is free and has a friendly interface. Mushrooms by Kirill Sidorov is an offline version of all the mushroom species info from Wikipedia, breaking down species between "edible", "in-edible", and "poisonous". ShroomID is another mushroom identification app that provides AI and human predictions, endless species data, and more.
While these apps can be useful tools, it is important to pair them with other resources, such as books or advice from experts, to ensure accuracy.
Mushrooms and Gastritis: What You Need to Know
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
There are several key characteristics to observe when identifying a mushroom, including the substrate (the material the fungus is growing from), the underside of the cap, and the gills. Other characteristics to note are the size, colour, and shape of the mushroom.
There are several apps available that can help with mushroom identification, such as Picture Mushroom, which can identify a mushroom from a picture. There are also online resources such as the subreddit r/Mycology, which is dedicated to all things fungal. Additionally, you can refer to field guides organised by spore colour.
Some distinctive mushrooms include the Old Man of the Woods, the Bolete, and the Chanterelle. The Old Man of the Woods is identified by its unique cap and the presence of pores. Boletes are characterised by having a separate cap and stem with a spongy surface of pores. Chanterelles have wrinkled folds called "false gills" and do not grow in clusters.
It is important to never eat a mushroom based solely on identification from the internet or an app. If you intend to forage for mushrooms for food, it is recommended that you seek guidance from an expert.
