When it comes to collecting mushrooms, there is a lot of confusion among fans who don’t quite understand what the main ones are. differences between lepiota and macrolepiota. These are mushrooms that have different characteristics since one of them is toxic to humans. Therefore, it is important to learn all of these differences to learn how to collect safely.
In this article, we will tell you about the main differences between lepiota and macrolepiota, their main characteristics and tips for harvesting.
Contents
Differences Between Lepiota and Macrolepiota
The first thing is to know that macrolepiotas are edible organisms while lepiotas are poisonous. Once we know the differences between lepiota and macrolepiota, we need to know more about their characteristics. Macrolepiotas are edible. Let’s see the characteristics of the best known specimens:
Macrolepiota procera
His hat is large, up to 25 cm in diameter, initially spherical, then convex, and finally flattened with a visible garnet in the middle. It has a dry cuticle covered with large dark brown scales on a beige or white background. The lamellae are numerous, tight, wide, belly-shaped, white and beige with age.
In cuanto al pie, es alto, cylindrical, ensanchado en la base, con un gran bulbo en el extremo, semiterrado, fibroso, hueco, de color marrón claro, que déarrolla a patrón en zigzag sur une fondo más claro a medida que crece en surface. It is large, double, with a membranous ring, mobile when ripe, white above and brown below, with torn edges. It has lean, rare, white meat, soft on the top of the head, fibrous on the legs, pleasant in taste and smell.
This macrolepiota can be found in various habitats, roadsides, ditches, meadows, meadows, chestnut forests, pine forests and cork oak forests in autumn and spring. It is considered excellent for edibility, especially in the lids of specimens that have not been fully opened. If we look at the patterns of the foot, it is difficult to confuse it with other species of the genus.
Macrolepiota rhacodes
The cap is first hemispherical or conical, then becomes convex and finally unfolds, usually without a nipple, unlike the procera. Its size varies between 5 and 15 cm in diameter. Its surface is covered with a gray down with large, slightly raised brown scales. The meat is white and red when split open, an important fact that distinguishes the species.
The foot is thin, gray-ocher in color, gradually becoming transparent. Its ring is removable as well as its bulbous base. It can be found in summer and autumn seasons, usually in coniferous forests, but also in deciduous forests. This Macrolepiota is considered to be of the same quality as Macrolepiota procera. However, it can be confused with other lepiotas whose meat turns red and can cause mild poisoning.
Macrolepiota excoriata
His hat reaches 4–12 cm in diameter, first closed, conical to convex, then flattened with a slight nipple. Its cuticle is covered with leaves and the edges are rarer, from which it breaks into stars. It is cream or hazelnut in color with a rather whitish background. Its borders are redundant, irregular and protruding.
The feet are cylindrical, slender, curly at the base, smooth and white to beige in color. Their rings are simple, membranous and durable on the feet. Its meat, like all the others, is fine and the cap is tender, but the legs are fibrous. It is white in color, has a sweet taste and a pleasant smell.
It is easily found in habitats such as grasslands and grasslands, in fall and spring. ANDThis species is considered to be of good edibility, especially young specimens fully open.
mastoid macrolepiote
His hat is of medium size, up to 14cm. diameter. It is conical or spherical when young and later develops into a bell shape. The cuticle in adulthood is cream-colored turning brown with small, randomly distributed black scales. In the center, the nipple is dark brown until the cuticle separates easily from the pulp.
The feet are centered, cylindrical and fibrous hollow. On the right side it is slender in relation to the hat, reaching 18 cm. The length and thickness are 0.5-1 cm. diameter. At its base there is a fairly pronounced bulbous development that tapers towards the apex. The color of the feet is white and they are covered with a more pronounced creamy brown felt at the top.
The meat is whitish, soft and thick to the touch, while the cap is thin. It is relatively rare in size, has a fungal smell and a very pleasant soft sweetness. The feet are fibrous and not very consistent.
It is a fairly common species and grows in any habitat, such as clearings in various forests, roadsides or grasslands. It can be found in autumn, it can be seen alone or in small groups, but it stops appearing once the first cold weather arrives. It’s good food, but it has very little meat. Cases of mild allergic digestive disorders have been reported.
lepiotas
Among the differences between lepiota and macrolepiota, we have seen that lepiotas are poisonous and poisonous to humans. Let’s see what the main ones are:
Lepiota helveola
The hat measures between 2 to 7 cm in diameter at best. It changes color from light brown to reddish brown and is covered with darker, smooth scales at the edges, except for the discs, which remain smooth.
The maximum length of the foot is between 3 and 5 cm, and the thickness between 0.3 and 0.8. Brittle when young, hairy, delicate and eventually hollow, the same color as the cap, with scales below the ring. Its rings are membranous, thin, fleeting, ascending and externally brown or reddish brown. Its meat is white with a tendency to blush, especially when dried or rubbed, with a slight mealy smell. It has a mild flavor.
It is found in autumn near forests and trails. It is a very poisonous species and can be fatal. That is why we must pay attention to this abundant species, which every year brings tragic news.
As a recommendation, Lepiotas with a cap less than four inches in diameter should never be collected.
I hope with this information you can learn more about the differences between lepiota and macrolepiota.