Lyophyllum decastes

This 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.

Fruiting body containing fibers (usually in the stalk)

Spore print "light-colored": white or buff, sometimes tinged with pink or tan. Greenish and (except for the Russulales) yellow spore prints also go here
Stalk fibrous, not fracturing like a piece of chalk

None of the special features distinguishing the other white-spored genera:
Gills not free, as in the Lepiotas and Amanitas
Basidia not extra-long, as in the Hygrophoraceae
Spores smooth, except for Lentinellus

Growing on the ground

Growing out in the open (lawn, field, etc.)

Gills turn purple with FeSO4
Mainly distinguishable from Tricholoma because it doesn't need to grow near trees, and because they don't grow in clusters

Lyophyllum decastes     (Fries) Singer

Here are the characters that distinguish this species from the others in its group. For its more general characters, see higher up on the page.
If there's just a few words or a microscopic feature here, a more thorough description can be found above.

Diagnosis

• Densely cestipose in open and disturbed areas
  
• Cap 1-5" across; margin inrolled at first, uplifted in age; greyish brown to yellowish brown

Comments

I have no idea where or how it got its common name of Fried Chicken Mushroom; it is one of those mushrooms that is nicely crunchy but has no taste of its own


 

 

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