Catathelasma ventricosum
Revue Mycol., Paris 5: 9. 1940.
Common Name: none
Synonym: Lentinus ventricosus Peck
Fruiting under conifers, especially spruce, in the Pacific Northwest. In California it is known from Del Norte, Humboldt, and Siskiyou counties.
Very firm texture with mild flavor.
Catathelasma ventricosum is distinguished by large, tough sporocarps with a white to pale grey cap. It could be confused with its close relative, Catathelasma imperiale, which is even larger, with a brownish cap. Catathelasma ventricosum could also be confused with the American matsutake, Tricholoma magnivelare, but it lacks the spicy-sweet odor of that species.
This species has also been (mis)spelled as Catathelasma ventricosa.
Arora, D. (1986). Mushrooms Demystified. Ten Speed Press: Berkeley, CA. 959 p.
Castellano, M.A., Cázares, E., Fondrick, B. & Dreisbach, T. (2003). Handbook to additional fungal species of special concern in the Northwest Forest Plan (Gen. Tech Rep. PNW-GTR-572). U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station: Portland, OR. 144 p. (PDF)
Desjardin, D.E., Wood, M.G. & Stevens, F.A. (2015). California Mushrooms: The Comprehensive Identification Guide. Timber Press: Portland, OR. 560 p.
Peck, C.H. (1896). New species of fungi. Bull. Torrey bot. Club 23(10): 411-420. (Protologue)
Siegel, N. & Schwarz, C. (2016). Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast. Ten Speed Press: Berkeley, CA. 601 p.
