Camarophyllus pratensis (Persoon: Fries) Kummer
Führ. Pilzk. 117. 1871.

Common Name: none

Synonyms: Hygrophorus pratensis (Pers.: Fr.) Fr., Hygrocybe pratensis (Pers.: Fr.) Murrill

• Pileus

  Fruiting body 3-7 cm broad, convex, expanding to nearly plane, slightly umbonate; margin entire or wavy; surface moist, smooth, pale orange to apricot-orange, sometimes spotted darker orange, fading when dry to pale-peach and becoming slightly fibrillose; flesh thick at the disc, otherwise thin, white, unchanging; odor mild, soap-like in one form; taste mild.

• Lamellae

  Gills subdecurrent, decurrent at maturity, broad, subdistant, thick, waxy, peach-buff, fading to cream-buff.

• Stipe

  Stipe 2.5-7 cm tall, 1-2 cm thick, stuffed, equal to narrowed at the base; surface dry, smooth to fibrillose striate, pale peach; flesh white unchanging; veil absent.

• Spores

  Spores 5-7.5 x 4-5 µm, elliptical, oval, or nearly round, smooth, nonamyloid; spore print white.

• Habitat

  Solitary to scattered in mixed hardwood/conifer woods, occasionally in grassy or open areas; fruiting from late fall to early spring.

• Edibility

  Edible and very good, with a sweet flavor. Unfortunatly it is often maggot infected.

• Comments

  This handsome waxy cap is characterized by a dry, pale-orange pileus, decurrent gills and stipe. The color and stature are suggestive of Cantharellus cibarius, but the latter has ridges rather than true gills. Despite the species name which suggests a grassland habitat, in the Bay Area it's far more likely to be encountered in woodlands. A local form of this species has a sweet, soapy odor and in some years can be quite common.

• References

  Bas, C., Kyper, T.W., Noordeloos, M.E. & Vellinga, E.C. (1990). Flora Agaricina Neerlandica -- Critical monographs on the families of agarics and boleti occuring in the Netherlands. Volume 2. Pluteaceae, Tricholomataceae. A. A. Balkema: Rotterdam, Netherlands. 137 p.
  Bird, C.J. & Grund, D.W. (1979). Nova Scotian Species of Hygrophorus. The Nova Scotia Museum: Nova Scotia. 131 p.
  Hesler, L.R. & Smith, A.H. (1963). North American Species of Hygrophorus. University of Tennessee Press: Knoxville, TN. 416 p.
  Largent, D.L. (1985). The Agaricales (Gilled Fungi) of California. 5. Hygrophoraceae. Mad River Press: Eureka, CA. 208 p.

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Darvin DeShazer: Camarophyllus pratensis (CP)
  • Darvin DeShazer: Camarophyllus pratensis (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Camarophyllus pratensis (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Camarophyllus pratensis (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Camarophyllus pratensis (CP)
  • Boleslaw Kuznik -- Hunting for Mushrooms: Camarophyllus pratensis (CP)
  • National Botanic Garden of Belgium: Hygrocybe pratensis (CP)
  • Mushroom Observer: Camarophyllus pratensis (CP)
  • Arora (1986): p. 110 (D), p. 111 (P)
  • Breitenbach & Kränzlin (vol. 3): sp. 76 (D, I, & CP)
  • Jordan: p. 131 (D & CP)
  • Largent (1985): p. 30 (D) [as Hygrophorus pratensis]
  • Lincoff: p. 664 (D), plate 309 (CP)
  • Phillips: p. 63 (D & CP) [as Hygrophorus pratensis]
  • Smith & Weber: sp. 92 (D & CP)
  
  

  (D=Description; I=Illustration; P=Photo; CP=Color Photo)