All white!

Deb London · #1 (**permalink**) 26-08-2010, 03:46 PM

Hi,

Meet Fred. He is living in my garden. As far as I can tell (from an older sibling of which I have no photos) he will be all white. The flesh will probably be white, the gills white/off-white (either adnexed or free). His cap is currently around 4 cm diameter. He will probably smell mushroomy with a strange top note akin to the volatile scent from freshly mown hay or cut branches.

He is the last of his kind, so I'm letting him grow a bit before I kill him.

Any guesses as to his real name? I'm clueless at the moment.

Thank you,

Deb

Deb London · #2 (**permalink**) 28-08-2010, 07:35 AM

Additional notes and pictures:

The cap is now approx. 5 cm in diameter. I was debating the presence of the ring before today, and it is present, but very delicate.

Here are shots of the whole fungus, before dissection. There are radial lines associated with gill attachment.

Dissection did not produce discolouration, and demonstrates the almost pure white nature of the gills and flesh:

All lines of enquiry have led me to uncommon species, and I don't think this likely for a city garden (notwithstanding all my strange natural history practices).

Thank you for looking! Any suggestions gratefully received.

Deb

Deb London · #3 (**permalink**) 28-08-2010, 07:38 AM

Meant to add that they were growing singly, or in very small groups.

pressld2 · #4 (**permalink**) 28-08-2010, 08:31 AM

I was going to suggest Amanita phalloides var. alba - the white deathcap - but on further reading the ring isn't right. I hope one of the experts comes along soon because I'm intrigued now.

We definitely need a better name than Fred!

Dave P.

Deb London · #5 (**permalink**) 28-08-2010, 08:39 AM

Oh heck Dave, I hope not. Fred was dissected on the kitchen surface (but at least not with a kitchen knife or board)!

The only one I can come up with is (excuse the English, scientific names of fungi are a weak point) the White Dapperling. BUT in neither garden location is it growing in grass. It's in my informal hedge (which was grassland a few years back). And again, it's the "uncommon" nature of this species that is another sticking point.

Thanks for looking,

Deb

Ken Burgess · #6 (**permalink**) 28-08-2010, 08:40 AM

Leucoagaricus leucothites is a good possibility and it often grows in gardens.

Ken

Ken Burgess · #7 (**permalink**) 28-08-2010, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deb London

Oh heck Dave, I hope not. Fred was dissected on the kitchen surface (but at least not with a kitchen knife or board)!

The only one I can come up with is (excuse the English, scientific names of fungi are a weak point) the White Dapperling. BUT in neither garden location is it growing in grass. It's in my informal hedge (which was grassland a few years back). And again, it's the "uncommon" nature of this species that is another sticking point.

Thanks for looking,

Deb

Seems we posted at the same time. The habitat is fine for Leucoagaricus leucothites. It used to occur reasonably regularly in the soil under my hedge at my previous house. (There is no sign of a volva so it's not Amanita.)

Ken

Deb London · #8 (**permalink**) 28-08-2010, 08:55 AM

Thank you Ken! I think I'm going with that.

It has all sorts of grassland habitat in my garden that it could have picked. It's good (but slightly unexpected) to know it will occur under a hedge.

WOW, it's uncommon (no one's allowed to post and say otherwise - its my moment of glory

).

Maybe I'm on a roll now. Collected a Wood Blewit from the heath a few years back to let it shed it's spores around said hedge. It has the most fantastic aroma and appearance. Maybe this will be my lucky year.

pressld2 · #9 (**permalink**) 28-08-2010, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deb London

WOW, it's uncommon (no one's allowed to post and say otherwise - its my moment of glory

).

Wouldn't dream of it! But...

How old are your fungi books?

Dave P.

Deb London · #10 (**permalink**) 28-08-2010, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pressld2

Wouldn't dream of it! But...

How old are your fungi books?

Dave P.

Rogers has saved the day!

Quote:

Leucoagaricus leucothites. Click a photo to enlarge it. back to list

synonyms: Lépiote pudique, Rosablätteriger Schirmpilz
Leucoagaricus naucinus Mushroom
Ref No: 9432
Buy this image Leucoagaricus naucinus2 Mushroom
Ref No: 9433
Buy this image leucoagaricusl leucothites Mushroom
Ref No: 9434
Buy this image
location: North America, Europe
edibility: Edible
fungus colour: White to cream, Grey to beige
normal size: 5-15cm
cap type: Convex to shield shaped
stem type: Ring on stem
spore colour: White, cream or yellowish
habitat: Grows on the ground, Found in fields, lawns or on roadsides

Leucoagaricus leucothites (Vitt.) Wasser syn. Lepiota leucothites (Vitt.) Orton syn. L. naucina (Fr.) Kummer Lépiote pudique Rosablätteriger Schirmpilz. Cap 5–8cm across, convex expanding to almost flattened, smooth and silky, whitish becoming flushed flesh-colour or pale cream-ochre. Stem 60–80 x 8–20mm, concolorous with the cap; ring concolorous, narrow, free of the stem. Flesh thick and white in the cap, browning in the stem. Taste and smell not distinctive. Gills white becoming pale flesh-colour with age. Spore print white. Spores ovoid, dextrinoid, 7–9 x 4.5–5um. Habitat in gardens or at roadsides. Season autumn. Uncommon. Edible but best avoided due to possible confusion with poisonous species. Distribution, America and Europe.

(Where's the gold, "dancing" font when you need it?)

I thought I'd posted on the fungus OTD thread, but I must have missed 'submit'.

Anyway, I was saying how happy I was.

IT'S PARTY TIME!

YouTube - The Dance of Lady Mushroom