''Pluteus'' is a large

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

fungi A fungus (: fungi , , , or ; or funguses) is any member of the group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and mold (fungus), molds, as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as one ...

with over 300 species. They are wood rotting saprobes with pink

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. ...

s and

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 ...

that are free from 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 ...

. The Latin word ''Pluteus'' means ''shed or penthouse''.

Characteristics of the genus

Characteristics of the ''Pluteus'' genus are: #These fungi grow on wood or wood remains. #The spore powder is deep pink, soon giving a pink tint to the initially pale gills. #The gills are free from the stipe. #There is no volva or ring (exception: the rare recently reclassified North American species ''P. mammillatus'', previously ''Chamaeota sphaerospora''). #Microscopically, they often have abundant, distinctive

cystidia 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 o ...

. The spores are smooth and roughly egg-shaped. ''Pluteus'' is separated from '' Volvariella'' due to the lack of a volva, and from ''

Entoloma ''Entoloma'' is a genus of fungi in the order Agaricales. Called pinkgills in English, basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are typically agaricoid (gilled mushrooms), though a minority are gasteroid. All have salmon-pink basidiospores which colour the ...

'' by growing on wood and by microscopic features (''Entolomas'' have angular spores).

Naming

The name ''Pluteus'' was established in 1837 by the founding mycologist

Elias Magnus Fries Elias Magnus Fries (15 August 1794 – 8 February 1878) was a Swedish mycologist and botanist. He is sometimes called the Mycology, "Linnaeus of Mycology". In his works he described and assigned botanical names to hundreds of fungus and li ...

at a time when agaric mushrooms were first being assigned to different genera. The Latin word "pluteus" has various meanings related to military protective structures and its signification here may be that of a shield (the shape of the cap). Etymology section of

Remarks on particular species

Some of these mushrooms are edible including ''P. petasatus'' and '' P. cervinus'', though most people rate their taste and consistency as average at best. ''Pluteus cervinus'' is the best known species in Europe and North America. Several species of this genus bruise blue and contain

psilocybin Psilocybin, also known as 4-phosphoryloxy-''N'',''N''-dimethyltryptamine (4-PO-DMT), is a natural product, naturally occurring tryptamine alkaloid and Investigational New Drug, investigational drug found in more than List of psilocybin mushroom ...

including '' Pluteus brunneidiscus'', '' Pluteus salicinus'', '' Pluteus cyanopus'', '' Pluteus glaucus'', '' Pluteus nigroviridis'', '' Pluteus phaeocyanopus'' and '' Pluteus villosus''.Fungifama site
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Characteristics of the genus

Naming

Remarks on particular species

See also

References

Further reading