Cantharellus cibarius L.: Fries
Syst. Mycol. 1: 318. 1821.

Common Name: chanterelle, yellow chanterelle

• Pileus

  Cap 3-11 cm broad, peg to vase-shaped, the disc frequently depressed but not funnelform; margin incurved, wavy, in age decurved, plane, to upturned; surface smooth or with appressed hairs, dry, yellow to golden-yellow, fading in age; flesh yellowish, thick, firm; odor faintly fruity, taste mild.

• Lamellae

  Gills reduced to ridges, decurrent, forking, often cross-veined or anastomosing, colored like the cap or lighter.

• Stipe

  Stipe 2-9 cm long, 0.5-3.5 cm thick, tapering to a narrowed base; surface dry, smooth, concolorous or lighter than the cap.

• Spores

  Spores 8-11 x 4-5.5 µm, elliptical, smooth; spore print pale yellow.

• Habitat

  Gregarious, clustered, or in fairy-rings, under Quercus agrifolia (coast live oak), less commonly with Lithocarpus densiflorus (tanbark oak) and Umbellularia californica (California bay); fruiting from fall to early spring; occasionally along the coast in late summer from fog drip.

• Edibility

  Edible and choice; keeps well, and is seldom infested with fly larva.

• Comments

  This much sought-after edible is recognized by a fleshy, yellow, vase-shaped, fruiting body, wavy margin, and shallow, ridge-like gills that are conspicuously decurrent. Unfortunately for mycophagists, it often grows well protected in a thick understory of Toxicodendron diversilobum (poison oak). Collectors should be aware that other yellow mushrooms are occasionally mistaken for the chanterelle, notably Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca (false chanterelle), Ompahlotus olivascens (jack o'lantern fungus), and Gomphus floccosus (wooly chanterelle). Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca is a less fleshy, buff to orangish, probably edible species that grows on rotting wood or wood chips; an important field character is its dichotomously branched, brightly colored, true gills. Omphalotus olivascens, a toxic species, usually has an eccentric stipe, a yellowish-olive color, true gills, and grows either on rotting wood or at the base of hardwoods. Gomphus floccosus is a chanterelle relative which can cause stomach upsets. It also has a vase-like shape, but can be distinguished by a cap which has a hollow center surrounded by orange scales. Also in California is Cantharellus subalbidus, an excellent edible species that differs from C. cibarius in being pallid to almost white in color and having white spores.

  NOTE: There are several yellow chanterelle species that occur in California, some are probably undescribed. The true Cantharellus cibarius may not occur here. This description is primarily based on Bay Area collections, which are mostly Cantharellus californicus. Also occuring in California is Cantharellus formosus. This description will remain until we finish the descriptions for the latter two species.

• References

  Bigelow, H.E. (1978). The Cantharelloid Fungi of New England and Adjacent Areas. Mycologia 70(4): 707-756.
  Corner, E.J.H. (1966). A Monograph of Cantharelloid Fungi. Oxford University Press: London, England. 255 p.
  Pegler, D.N., Roberts, P.J. & Spooner, B.M. (1997). British Chanterelles and Tooth Fungi. Royal Botanic Gardens: Kew, England. 114 p.
  Smith, A.H. (1949). Mushrooms in their Natural Habitats. Sawyer's Inc: Portland, OR. 626 p.
  Smith, A.H. & Morse, E.E. (1947). The genus Cantharellus in the western United States. Mycologia 39(5): 497-534.
  Watling, R. & Turnbull, E. (1998). British Fungus Flora: Agarics and Boleti. Vol 8. Cantharellaceae, Gomphaceae, and Amyloid-Spored and Xeruloid Members of Tricholomataceae (excl. Mycena). Royal Botanic Garden: Edinburgh, Scotland. 189 p.

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Terry Goyan: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • Ari Kornfeld: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • Boleslaw Kuznik: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • Boleslaw Kuznik: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • Taylor F. Lockwood: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • Nathan Wilson: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • Tom Volk's Fungus of the Month: Cantharellus cibarius (D & CP)
  • Boleslaw Kuznik -- Hunting for Mushrooms: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • Mushroom Observer: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • A Few Good Mushrooms: Cantharellus cibarius (D & CP)
  • Agaricales of Costa Rican Quercus Forests: Cantharellus cibarius (D & CP)
  • Il Mondo dei Funghi: Cantharellus cibarius (D & CP)
  • Fungus plates painted under the supervision of Elias Fries: Cantharellus cibarius (I)
  • Informationszentrale gegen Vergiftungen der Universiteat Bonn: Cantharellus cibarius (D & CP)
  • Sommario funghi: Cantharellus cibarius (D & CP)
  • Svampbok: Cantharellus cibarius (D & CP)
  • Robert Rich: Cantharellus cibarius (D & CP)
  • Page perso de JJ.Wuilbaut: Cantharellus cibarius (CP)
  • Arora (1986): p. 662 (D), p. 663 (P), plates 175, 177, 178 (CP)
  • Arora (1991): p. 2 (D & CP)
  • Breitenbach & Kränzlin (vol. 2): sp. 482 (D, I, & CP)
  • Fischer & Bessette: p. 24 (D & CP)
  • Jordan: p. 81 (D & CP)
  • Lincoff: p. 387 (D), plates 308, 427 (CP)
  • McKenny et al.: p. 25 (D & CP)
  • Miller: sp. 259 (D & CP)
  • Phillips: p. 214 (D & CP)
  • Smith: sp. 36 (D & CP)
  • Smith & Weber: sp. 24 (D & CP)
  
  

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