''Clitocybe nebularis'' or ''Lepista nebularis'', commonly known as the clouded agaric, cloudy clitocybe,
or cloud funnel, is an abundant
gilled fungus which appears both in
conifer
Conifers () are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a sin ...
-dominated forests and
broad-leaved woodland in Europe and North America. Appearing in
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales
* The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...
from mid to late autumn, it is
edible, but may cause gastrointestinal issues.
Taxonomy
The species was first described and named as ''Agaricus nebularis'' in 1789 by
August Johann Georg Karl Batsch
August Johann Georg Karl Batsch (28 October 1761 – 29 September 1802) was a German naturalist. He was a recognised authority on mushrooms, and also described new species of ferns, bryophytes, and seed plants.
Life and career
Batsch was born i ...
. It was later placed in the genus ''
Clitocybe'' in 1871 by
Paul Kummer
Paul Kummer (22 August 1834 – 6 December 1912) was a Minister (Christianity), minister, teacher, and scientist in Zerbst, Germany, known chiefly for his contribution to mycological botanical nomenclature, nomenclature. Earlier Taxonomy (biology), ...
as ''Clitocybe nebularis''. After much consideration by many mycologists, over some years, when it was placed for periods in both ''
Lepista'', and ''
Gymnopus'', it was placed back in ''Clitocybe'' with the
specific epithet
In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...
, and 1871 accreditation it retains today.
''Clitocybe nebularis'' var. ''alba'' Bataille (1911), differs only in having a milk white cap, and is very rare.
Description
The
cap
A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. The origin of the word "cap" comes from the Old French word "chapeau" which means "head co ...
of the mushroom is in diameter,
convex
Convex or convexity may refer to:
Science and technology
* Convex lens, in optics
Mathematics
* Convex set, containing the whole line segment that joins points
** Convex polygon, a polygon which encloses a convex set of points
** Convex polytop ...
with an incurved margin, becoming plane to depressed in shape. Cap colours are generally greyish to light brownish-grey, and often covered in a whitish bloom when young. The surface of the cap is usually dry to moist, and radially fibrillose. The
gills
A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...
are pale, adnate to short-decurrent, close and usually forked.
The
stem
Stem or STEM most commonly refers to:
* Plant stem, a structural axis of a vascular plant
* Stem group
* Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
Stem or STEM can also refer to:
Language and writing
* Word stem, part of a word respon ...
measures long and 2–4 cm wide;
it is stout, swollen towards the base, becomes hollow with age, and is easily broken. It is usually somewhat lighter than the cap.
[ The flesh is white, and very thick. It usually has a foul-smelling ]odour
An odor (American English) or odour (English in the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth English; American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, see spelling differences) is a smell or a scent caused by one or more volatilized ...
, which has been described as slightly farinaceous to spicy, or rancid.spore print
300px, Making a spore print of the mushroom ''Volvariella volvacea'' shown in composite: (photo lower half) mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; (photo upper half) cap removed after 24 hours showing warm orange ("tussock") color spore print. ...
is light yellowish.
Similar species
The species can resemble '' C. robusta'' which has a more solid white cap, '' C. irina'' which has a pinkish spore print, '' Ampulloclitocybe clavipes'', and '' Harmajaea harperi''.Entoloma sinuatum
''Entoloma sinuatum'' (common name, commonly known as the livid entoloma, livid agaric, livid pinkgill, leaden entoloma, and lead poisoner) is a poisonous mushroom found across Europe and North America. Some guidebooks refer to it by its older ...
'' both in Europe or North America, though this species has pink sinuate gills.
Ecology
This species is host to the parasitic gilled mushroom '' Volvariella surrecta'', which is found on older specimens.
Edibility
The species is edible but even a small portion can cause gastrointestinal disturbances for some people.
Gallery
File:Cluded Agaric pileus.JPG, The pileus or cap
File:Clouded Agaric Gills.JPG, Detail of the gills
File:Clouded Agaric underside.JPG, The gills and cut stipe (stalk)
File:Hexenring Nebelgrauer Trichterling.JPG, Specimen growing in a fairy ring
A fairy ring, also known as fairy circle, elf circle, elf ring or pixie ring, is a naturally occurring ring or arc of mushrooms. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands or rangelands. Fairy rings are detectable by ...
formation
Nevelzwam ( nebularis) (d.j.b.) 02.jpg, Close up of the top of a fully grown specimen
File:Nevelzwam ( nebularis) (d.j.b.) 14-12-2023. (d.j.b).jpg, A rained-out specimen in decay
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q757125
nebularis
Edible fungi
Fungi of Europe
Fungi of North America
Fungi described in 1789
Taxa named by August Batsch
Fungus species