Hygrophorus late (Hygrophorus hypothejus)
Systematics:- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Agaricomycetidae (Agaricomycetes)
- Order: Agaricales (Agaric or Lamellar)
- Family: Hygrophoraceae (Hygrophoric)
- Genus: Hygrophorus (Gigrofor)
- Species: Hygrophorus hypothejus (Hygrophorus late)
- Other names for the mushroom:
- Gigrofor brown
Other names:
Gigrofor brown
- Woodworm
- Sweetheart
Late Gigrofor's Hat:
2-5 cm in diameter, in young mushrooms it is flat or slightly convex, with tucked edges, with age it acquires a funnel-shaped shape with a characteristic small tubercle in the center. The color is yellow-brown, often with an olive tint (especially in young, well-moisturized specimens), the surface is very slimy, smooth. The flesh of the cap is soft, whitish, without any special smell or taste.
Plates:
Yellowish, rather rare, forked, deeply descending along the stem.
Spore powder:
White.
The leg of the late Gigrofor:
Long and relatively thin (height 4-10 cm, thickness 0.5-1 cm), cylindrical, often sinuous, solid, yellowish, with a more or less mucous surface.
Spread:
Gigrofor late is found from mid-September until late autumn, without fear of frost and first snow, in coniferous and mixed forests, adjacent to a pine. It often grows in mosses, hiding in them up to the very cap; at the right time can bear fruit in large groups.
Similar species:
Of the widespread species, the late white-olive hygrophorus (Hygrophorus olivaceoalbus) is similar to the late Hygrophorus olivaceoalbus, somewhat similar to Hygrophorus hypothejus, but it has a characteristic striped leg. How many small late hygrophors actually exist, hardly anyone knows.
Edibility:
Gigrofor brown - quite edible, despite its small size, mushroom;
the special time of fruiting gives it great value in the eyes of procurers.
Video about the mushroom Gigrofor late:
Remarks
What attracted the attention of this small but glorious hygrophor is that it seems to be not at all opposed to being collected. Judge for yourself. Firstly, Gigrofor is late in itself, grows deep in mosses, but for some reason it is perfectly visible, including from afar. And secondly, it easily separates from the base along with a long, winding leg, but without further consequences, as if someone had carefully detached it from the mycelium inside. Nice to see a mushroom so open to cooperation; one can only hope that this openness is sincere and disinterested, and that no one in the end will have to regret.