Key to Gilled Mushrooms KeyThis is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills. The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.
Agaricales OrderFruiting body containing fibers (usually in the stalk)
Diagnosis
- Gills free
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Spore print chocolate brown
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Annulus almost always present, usually membranous
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The gills are usually pink or silvery-grey at first, but are colored chocolate brown at maturity from the developing spores
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The cap and stalk are usually some sort of white or greyish brown, but may have fibrils or scales that are darker (like the portobello)
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Growing on the ground, wood chips, or other organic debris
Comments
At the rear of the picture, the larger mushroom has collected a spore print from the smaller one, showing the spore color
This genus is unfortunately somewhat under-represented in our photographs. This is because many species are urban mushrooms that I find by myself, and I only have a film camera. Thus, we have a better selection of images of the woodland Sanguinolenti (because we find them on mushroom walks with digital camera owners), even though they're much less common fungi
Narrow down your identification:
Agaricus Section- Partial veil thin, cottony
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Annulus scant, sometimes absent
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Flesh not changing color, either when bruised or in KOH
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Gills commonly pink at first, changing to the color of the spores at maturity
Arvenses Section- Cap up to 7" across
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Flesh stains or ages yellow, and stays yellow (on its own, or with KOH)
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Partial veil usually has two distinct layers.
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Mature fruiting body usually quite tall (stem 5-10" long), and often quite wide as well
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Odor sweet, usually almondy, sometimes of anise, but different people will sometimes perceive it differently
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The gills are greyish at first, not pink
Bitorques Section- No color-changing reactions.
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Often fruiting in poor, dry, pebbly soil.
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Flesh often very hard (like a carrot).
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Annulus is caligate and single-layered
Hortenses Section- Not staining red or yellow (even with KOH)
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Scent mushroomy
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Often browning where bruised or with age
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Annulus persistent and membranous, but only one layer
Minores Section- Cap up to 2" across
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Flesh stains or ages yellow, and stays yellow (on its own, and with KOH)
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Partial veil has only one layer; typically it forms a very fragile ring, often disappearing in age
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Odor sweet, sometimes faint
Sanguinolenti Section- Flesh stains red when bruised or in age. No color reaction with KOH
Xanthodermati Section- Flesh at the base of the stalk staining yellow when cut
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Odor phenolic (sometimes faintly)
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Flesh turning yellow in KOH
