Conifer Parasol

Description

The conifer parasol is a large parasol mushroom. The cap is 5–13 cm across, globose in young fruiting bodies, later expanded, grey, covered with fine scales, with a darker brown patch in the centre. The gills are white and free, and turn red when damaged. The stem is smooth, whitish, ending in a bulb, with a movable, double ring. The flesh turns yellow or orange when cut, and with time turns red.

It grows in deciduous and mixed forests, most often in late summer and autumn. It is fairly common in Europe; in Poland it is rarely recognised, because it is usually mistaken for the shaggy parasol.

It is distinguished from the parasol mushroom by its smaller size, smooth stem without a banded pattern, and flesh that turns red when damaged. Young specimens can also be confused with other gilled mushrooms, including poisonous ones. If you are not sure of the species, do not pick it and do not eat it.

Identification features

Cap

Diameter 46–130 mm; globose in young fruiting bodies, umbrella-shaped in older ones, grey, covered with fine scales of a colour close to the cap surface. A large patch in the centre, brown to reddish brown.

Hymenophore (underside of the cap)

Gills white, free, fairly crowded, 1–7 mm away from the stem; they turn red when damaged and become beige with age.

Stem

Height 80–190 mm, thickness 7–13 mm, smooth, whitish to pale beige, ending in a bulb. Ring movable, double.

Flesh

Whitish; when damaged it changes colour to reddish yellow or orange, and with time to red. Smell earthy or mushroomy, taste unpleasant. The flesh should not be tasted.

Spore print and spores

Spore print white. Spores smooth, ellipsoid, 8–11 × 5.5–7 µm.

Habitat and distribution

Ecology. Saprotroph; grows in deciduous and mixed forests.

Distribution. Widespread in Europe and fairly common. It occurs in Poland, but confirming records is made difficult by frequent confusion with the shaggy parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes); the species was not included in the 2003 checklist of Polish macrofungal basidiomycetes. It is not legally protected in Poland.

Fruiting. No data; usually late summer and autumn.

What can it be confused with?

• Chlorophyllum rhacodes (shaggy parasol) — Grows rather in parks, cap paler, scales less distinctly imbricate (roof-tile-like). Colour changes are more reddish orange, whereas in the conifer parasol they are more yellowish orange.
• Macrolepiota procera (parasol mushroom) — Much larger; stem covered with a darker banded pattern, cap scales darker, standing away from the surface and not covering the whole of it. Has a characteristic, pleasant smell.

Never rely on a single feature. If you are not sure — do not pick it; show the mushroom to a qualified mushroom expert.

Interesting facts

• The species was described in 1886 by Jean-Baptiste Barla as Lepiota olivieri; Else Vellinga transferred it to the genus Chlorophyllum in 2002.
• The Polish name “czubajnik ponury” appeared only in 2015.
• The 2003 Polish checklist of macrofungal basidiomycetes did not include the species, probably because it was commonly taken for the shaggy parasol.
• The English name “conifer parasol” refers to its association with coniferous forests.