''Hypholoma lateritium'', sometimes called brick cap, chestnut mushroom, cinnamon cap, brick top, red woodlover or kuritake, is a species of fungus in the genus ''

Hypholoma ''Hypholoma'' is a genus of fungi which are quite well known due to the commonness of sulphur tuft (''Hypholoma fasciculare'') on stumps in temperate woodlands. Species in this genus are easily recognizable because the dark spores create a dist ...

'', which also contains the slightly smaller poisonous species ''

Hypholoma fasciculare ''Hypholoma fasciculare'', commonly known as the sulphur tuft or clustered woodlover, is a common woodland mushroom, often in evidence when hardly any other mushrooms are to be found. This Saprotrophic nutrition, saprotrophic small Lamella (myc ...

''.

Taxonomy

''Hypholoma sublateritium'' is a synonym.

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 ...

is in diameter, usually with a brick-red coloration in the center and a paler margin. It is smooth, sometimes with red-brown flecks in the middle and sometimes with flaky

veil A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the human head, head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has be ...

remnants, which can easily be washed off in the rain, on the outside. 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 crowded, starting yellowish and becoming grayish with age. They do not have the green color of ''

''. The stipe is up to long, light yellow and darker below. The

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual reproduction, sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for biological dispersal, dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores fo ...

s have a

germ pore A germ pore is a small pore in the outer wall of a fungal spore through which the germ tube exits upon germination. It can be wikt:apical, apical or eccentric in its location, and, on light microscopy, may be visualized as a lighter coloured are ...

and are 6.0–7.5 × 3.5–4.0

μm The micrometre (Commonwealth English as used by the International Bureau of Weights and Measures; SI symbol: μm) or micrometer (American English), also commonly known by the non-SI term micron, is a unit of length in the International System ...

. The

cheilocystidia A cystidium (: cystidia) is a relatively large cell found on the sporocarp of a basidiomycete (for example, on the surface of a mushroom gill), often between clusters of basidia. Since cystidia have highly varied and distinct shapes that are oft ...

are variable; the

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 purple-brown.

Similar species

It could be confused with highly

toxic Toxicity is the degree to which a chemical substance or a particular mixture of substances can damage an organism. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a subst ...

species such as ''

Galerina marginata ''Galerina marginata'', known colloquially as funeral bell, deadly skullcap, autumn skullcap or deadly galerina, is a species of extremely poisonous mushroom-forming fungus in the family Hymenogastraceae of the order Agaricales. Before 2001, th ...

'' or ''Hypholoma fasciculare''. It can also resemble '' Pholiota mixta'' and members of '' Pyrrhulomyces''.

Distribution and habitat

In Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and West Virginia they are found in dense clusters on stumps and roots from October until long after frosts.

Edibility

''Hypholoma lateritium'' is sometimes considered edible but caution must be taken to avoid confusing it with similar-looking deadly species. In Europe the species is often considered inedible or even poisonous. Specimens are best when collected young; older specimens tend to be bitter from being fouled by insects. The taste is mild to somewhat bitter, but when cooked the mushrooms have a nutty flavor. They are especially delicious when sauteed in olive oil. Brick tops have been considered one of the better edibles of late fall in the

Northeast United States The Northeastern United States (also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast) is census regions United States Census BureauLocated on the Atlantic coast of North America, the region borders Canada to its nort ...

. It is considered a choice edible in Japan.

References

Mostly translated from the German page.

External links

*http://www.mushroomexpert.com/hypholoma_sublateritium.html

Gallery

File:Hypholoma sublateritium - Brick Cap - Ziegelroter Schwefelkopf - 01.jpg File:Ziegelroter Schwefelkopf Wiese.jpg File:HypholomaSublateritium.jpg File:Hypholoma sublateritium 031207A.jpg File:Ziegelrote Schwefelköpfe.jpg File:Hypholoma lateritium ultraviolet.jpg File:Hypholoma Lateritium Growing on Fallen Tree Stump.jpg Hypholoma Fungi of Europe Fungi of North America Taxa named by Jacob Christian Schäffer Fungus species {{Agaricales-stub