Stubble rosegill

Description

The stubble rosegill is a large mushroom with a cap 5–12 cm across, whitish, grey or grey-brown, usually darker in the centre. The fresh cap is distinctly slimy and sticky. The gills beneath are white at first, then turn pink. The stem is slender, white and without a ring, and at the base it sits in a white, sack-like volva hidden in the soil. The flesh smells like radish.

It grows from May to October, usually in groups, on arable fields, meadows, in gardens and parks, on fertilised soil, and also on compost. In autumn it is easy to spot in winter cereal crops, as the caps stand out from afar. In Poland it is not commonly encountered.

The greatest danger is mistaking it for white, deadly poisonous amanitas, especially the destroying angel. Amanitas have a ring on the stem and white gills even in mature fruiting bodies, whereas the stubble rosegill has gills that turn pink with age, a pink spore print and no ring. Young specimens, however, have white gills, so only people who know its features well should collect it. If you are not sure, do not pick it and do not eat it.

Identification features

Cap

Diameter 5–12(15) cm; ovoid or conical when young, then convex to expanded, with a central bump, sometimes slightly depressed in old specimens. Surface bare, rarely with white remnants of the veil, distinctly slimy and sticky when fresh. Colour from whitish and ivory to grey or grey-brown, usually darker in the centre.

Hymenophore (underside of the cap)

Gills crowded, fairly broad (up to 2 cm), ventricose, free (not attached to the stipe). White when young, turning salmon-pink with age.

Stem

Height 5–22.5 cm, thickness 0.7–2.5 cm, slender, cylindrical, widening towards the base, deeply rooted in the soil. Colour white to dirty whitish, surface dry, smooth or slightly dusted. No ring. At the base a white, membranous, sack-like volva (bulb) 2–3 cm high, with a smooth surface.

Flesh

White, soft, not changing colour when damaged. Odour neutral or resembling radish or raw peeled potatoes; taste mild. Do not taste the flesh of unknown mushrooms.

Spore print and spores

Spore print salmon-pink to pinkish-brown. Spores ellipsoid, sometimes slightly ovoid and elongated, 12–18.5 × 8–10 µm (descriptions give different ranges).

Habitat and distribution

Ecology. Saprotroph. Grows on soil rich in organic matter: on arable fields, meadows, in gardens, parks, on compost and woodchip piles, on fertilised soil; also recorded in greenhouses, and in China in bamboo groves. Fruiting bodies usually grow in groups, but may be solitary.

Distribution. Scattered in Europe; reported from all continents except Antarctica, but molecular confirmation so far covers only Europe and North America. Numerous localities have been reported in Poland, but it is not a commonly encountered mushroom. After a season of exceptionally abundant fruiting it may not appear at all for several years. It is not legally protected in Poland.

Fruiting. From May to October; easiest to find in autumn in winter cereal crops.

What can it be confused with?

• Amanita virosa (destroying angel, deadly poisonous) — The amanita has a ring on the stem, a white spore print and white gills even in mature specimens; Volvopluteus gloiocephalus has no ring, and its gills and spore print are pink. However, young fruiting bodies of V. gloiocephalus have white gills, so a mistake is possible.
• Amanita phalloides (death cap, deadly poisonous) — It has a ring, white gills and a white spore print, whereas V. gloiocephalus has pink gills at maturity and a pink spore print, with no ring.
• Volvopluteus earlei — Smaller fruiting bodies (cap under 5 cm), usually without pleurocystidia, cheilocystidia usually with a very long projection at the apex.
• Volvopluteus asiaticus — Most pleurocystidia have an apical projection up to 10–15 µm long, and the cheilocystidia are mainly bottle-shaped.
• Volvopluteus michiganensis — Smaller spores, on average shorter than 12.5 µm.
• Volvariella volvacea and Volvariella taylori — Similar species; distinguishing them requires microscopic characters.

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 epithet gloiocephalus comes from Greek and means "with a sticky head", referring to the slimy cap.
• For most of the 20th century, dark-capped and white-capped forms were regarded as two taxa (V. gloiocephala and V. speciosa); research by Boekhout and Enderle showed that both can grow from the same mycelium.
• Since 2011 it has been the type species of the genus Volvopluteus, separated on the basis of phylogenetic studies.
• It used to be sold at markets in Perth, Australia.
• After a season of abundant fruiting it may not appear at all for several years.