''Agaricus silvaticus'' (or ''Agaricus sylvaticus''), otherwise known as the scaly wood mushroom, blushing wood mushroom, or pinewood mushroom, is a species of mushroom often found in groups in coniferous forests from early summer, or September through to November in Europe, North Africa and North America.

Naming

The species name ''sylvaticus'' (or ''silvaticus'') means "of the woods". Both spellings are found in the literature, but

Species Fungorum ''Index Fungorum'' is an international project to index all formal names (Binomial nomenclature, scientific names) in the fungus Kingdom (biology), kingdom. As of 2015, the project is based at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, one of three partn ...

gives ''sylvaticus'' as the current name and so that version should be preferred. This well-known species was first validly described under the current name, ''Agaricus silvaticus'', in 1774 by the early mycologist

Jacob Christian Schäffer Jacob Christian Schäffer, alternatively Jakob, (31 May 1718 – 5 January 1790) was a German Dean (Christianity), dean, professor of theology, botanist, mycology, mycologist, entomology, entomologist, ornithology, ornithologist and inventor. He ...

. At that time most

gilled mushrooms The Agaricales are an order of fungi in the division Basidiomycota. As originally conceived, the order contained all the agarics (gilled mushrooms), but subsequent research has shown that not all agarics are closely related and some belong in o ...

were all grouped under 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 ...

'', but later were allocated to new genera which reflected their different characteristics. Now ''Agaricus'' has a much more restricted meaning, being the genus of the common cultivated mushrooms of Europe and America, but ''A. sylvaticus'' belongs to that group and has kept the same name during all that time.

Description

The greyish-brown cap is hemispherical when young, but later flattens out, growing up to in diameter. It is covered with broad scales. The gills are grey when young and become much darker with age. The spores are chocolate brown. The stem is brownish, often with a hanging

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and a small bulb at the base. The flesh is white with a mild taste, turning reddish when cut.

Similar species

''Agaricus haemorrhoidarius'' is normally considered a synonym, but has also been defined as a separate species, distinguished by its flesh which immediately turns red when cut. ''

Agaricus phaeolepidotus ''Agaricus phaeolepidotus'' (dusky scaled mushroom https://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/field_mycology/english-names is a species of fungus in the family Agaricaceae. A European species, the agaric was first species description, described scientifical ...

'' is distinguished by a stem which yellows (in addition to turning pink) when cut. The cap background is browner than ''A. silvaticus'' and its smell suggests iodine or ink. ''

Tricholoma vaccinum ''Tricholoma vaccinum'', commonly known as the russet scaly tricholoma, the scaly knight, or the fuzztop, is a fungus of the agaric genus ''Tricholoma''. It produces medium-sized basidiocarp, fruit bodies (mushrooms) that have a distinctive hai ...

'' looks similar from above but has no ring and develops reddish-brown gills. Some lookalikes cause gastric upset.

Uses

The species is edible cooked, but resembles inedible mushrooms.

References

External links