''Agaricus californicus'', commonly known as the mock meadow mushroom,
or California agaricus, is a species of fungus in the
section
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* Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea
* Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents
** Section sig ...
''Xanthodermati'' of the genus ''
Agaricus
''Agaricus'' is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi containing both edible and poisonous species, with over 400 members worldwide and possibly again as many disputed or newly discovered species. The genus includes the common ("button") mushroom ...
''.
The mushroom is mildly
poisonous
A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...
, often causing gastrointestinal upset.
Description
The caps are wide, white, sometimes with a grayish-tan center, dry, and either unchanged or yellowing slightly when bruised.
The stalk is long and 1–2 wide, perhaps larger at the base.
It has a persistent
ring
(The) Ring(s) may refer to:
* Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry
* To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell
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.
The
spores
In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores form part of the life cycles of many plant ...
are brown and smooth.
The species, like many members of ''Agaricus'' section ''Xanthodermati'', displays a yellowing (then darker) reaction where its
flesh
Flesh is any aggregation of soft tissues of an organism. Various multicellular organisms have soft tissues that may be called "flesh". In mammals, including humans, ''flesh'' encompasses muscles, fats and other loose connective tissues, ...
has been damaged, although this is not always readily apparent. The cap surface turns yellow in
KOH.
Similar species
''Agaricus californicus'' resembles many other ''Agaricus'' species, including
''A. arvensis'',
,
''A. campestris'',
and
''A. cupreobrunneus'', which are edible and thus require careful identification.
The yellowing reaction to bruising is more quickly apparent in ''
A. xanthodermus''
(a relative in the section ''Xanthodermati'').
Toxicity
It is mildly
poisonous
A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...
, causing
gastrointestinal upset
Gastrointestinal diseases (abbrev. GI diseases or GI illnesses) refer to diseases involving the gastrointestinal tract, namely the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine and rectum; and the accessory organs of digestion, the liver, ...
in many individuals.
The
etiology
Etiology (; alternatively spelled aetiology or ætiology) is the study of causation or origination. The word is derived from the Greek word ''()'', meaning "giving a reason for" (). More completely, etiology is the study of the causes, origins ...
of these symptoms is unclear and some individuals can eat it without experiencing symptoms, but as there is no way to tell who can eat the mushroom safely it is generally recommended against.
See also
*
List of ''Agaricus'' species
References
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1615287
californicus
Fungi of California
Fungi described in 1895
Taxa named by Charles Horton Peck
Fungi without expected TNC conservation status
Fungus species