Agaricus augustus
Epicr. 212. 1838.
Common Name: The Prince
Cap 6-32 cm broad, convex expanding to plane; surface dry with yellow-brown to brown scales, bruising yellow in age, staining yellow slowly with KOH; Flesh thick, odor sweet, anise or almond-like.
Gills close, free, pale at first, then blackish-brown at maturity.
Stipe 10-37 cm long, up to 6 cm thick, equal to enlarged at base, frequently buried; smooth above ring, scaly below; veil with cottony patches, later becoming membranous, forming a skirt-like annulus.
Spores 7.5-10.5 x 5-6.5 µm, elliptical and smooth. Spore print chocolate-brown.
Fruiting during the warm months of the year, especially late summer. Most common along the coast after periods of foggy weather. Often found under conifers like redwood, Monterey pine, Monterey cypress, but may also occur in parks and gardens.
An excellent edible, one of the very best. Unfortunately it is frequently infested with fly larvae.
One our largest and most spectacular Agaricus species. The yellow-brown scaly cap, sweet odor, blackish, free gills make it a distinctive species.
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— 18 mushrooms in this fruiting!
— a basket of the Prince
