Meadow gigrofor (Cuphophyllus pratensis)
Systematics:- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Agaricomycetidae (Agaricomycetes)
- Order: Agaricales (Agaric or Lamellar)
- Family: Hygrophoraceae (Hygrophoric)
- Genus: Cuphophyllus (Kufofil)
- Species: Cuphophyllus pratensis (Meadow gigrofor)
Synonyms:
Meadow Kufophyllum;
Meadow hygrocybe (Hygrocybe pratensis);
Agaricus pratensis Schaeff;
Camarophyllus pratensis;
Hygrophorus pratensis.
External description
Golden yellow or pale brown fruiting body. At first, the cap is strongly convex, then flattening with a sharp thin edge and a central tubercle; pale orange or rusty color. Thick, sparse, flesh plates descending on a cylindrical, tapering downward, smooth, pale stalk 5-12 mm thick and 4-8 cm long. Elliptical, smooth, colorless spores, 5-7 x 4-5 microns.
Edibility
Edible.
Habitat
It is often found in grasses in moderately wet or dry meadows, pastures, rarely in light grassy forests.
Season
The end of summer is autumn.
Similar species
It is similar to the edible Colemann hygrophor, which has whitish plates, a reddish-brown cap and grows in swampy and wet meadows.