''Pluteus cervinus'', commonly known as the deer shield, deer mushroom, or fawn mushroom, is a species of

fungus 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 ...

in the order

Agaricales The Agaricales are an order (biology), order of fungi in the division (mycology), division Basidiomycota. As originally conceived, the order contained all the agarics (gilled mushrooms), but subsequent research has shown that not all agarics are ...

. Fruit bodies are

agaric An agaric () is a type of fungal fruiting body characterized by the presence of a pileus (cap) that is clearly differentiated from the stipe (stalk), with lamellae (gills) on the underside of the pileus. It is a type of mushroom (or toadstool) ...

oid (mushroom-shaped). ''Pluteus cervinus'' is

saprotrophic Saprotrophic nutrition or lysotrophic nutrition is a process of chemoheterotrophic extracellular digestion involved in the processing of decayed (dead or waste) organic matter. It occurs in saprotrophs, and is most often associated with fungi ...

and fruit bodies are found on rotten logs, roots, tree stumps, sawdust, and other wood waste. It is common in Europe and eastern North America.

Etymology

The species epithet, ''cervinus'', means "deer-like"" and refers to the colour of the cap (described as "rehfarbig" in

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 ...

's original 1774 description).

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 ...

typically grows up to in diameter. Initially it is bell-shaped and often wrinkled when young. Later it expands to a convex shape. The cap can be deer-brown, but varies from light ochre-brown to dark brown, with a variable admixture of grey or black. The centre of the cap may be darker. The cap surface is smooth and matt to silky-reflective. The cap skin shows dark radial fibres when seen through a lens, indicating that the microscopic cuticle structure is filamentous. 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 initially white, but soon show a distinctive pinkish sheen, caused by the ripening spores. The stipe is 5–12 cm long and 0.5–2 cm in diameter, usually thicker at the base. It is white and covered with brown vertical fibrils. The flesh is soft and white. The fruit body has a mild to earthy radish smell and a mild taste at first, which may become slightly bitter. The spores are elliptical, smooth and measure approximately 7.0–8.0 × 5.0–5.5

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

hypha A hypha (; ) is a long, branching, filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium. Structure A hypha consists of one o ...

e lack

clamp connection A clamp connection is a hook-like structure formed by growing hyphal cells of certain fungi. It is a characteristic feature of basidiomycete fungi. It is created to ensure that each cell, or segment of hypha separated by septa (cross walls), rece ...

s. The

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 ...

are thick-walled with apical projections. 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 pinkish brown.

Similar species

Similar species include '' Pluteus atromarginatus'', which has a dark brown edge to the gills; '' P. rangifer'', a subarctic species; '' P. elaphinus'' in eastern North America; '' P. hongoi'' which typically has a paler cap and occurs in Eurasia and eastern North America; and '' P. exilis'' which typically produces fruit bodies in spring and occurs in western North America. Similarly coloured species of ''

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 ...

'' have gills that are attached to the stipe (not free) and distinctive, angular spores.

Distribution and habitat

''Pluteus cervinus'' grows on stumps and wood debris. It is common in Europe (April to December) and eastern North America, but rare and possibly introduced in western North America.

Uses

Although a poor-quality

edible mushroom Edible mushrooms are the fleshy fruit bodies of numerous species of macrofungi (fungi that bear fruiting structures large enough to be seen with the naked eye). Edibility may be defined by criteria including the absence of poisonous effect ...

with an unremarkable flavour (and not preserving well), young specimens can be added to other cooked dishes.

Gallery

Image:Pluteus cervinus in situ.jpg, Mature ''Pluteus cervinus'' Image:Young Pluteus cervinus in situ.jpg, Young ''Pluteus cervinus'' Image:Pluteus.cervinus.cystidia.400x.JPG,

Cystidium A cystidium (: cystidia) is a relatively large cell found on the sporocarp of a basidiomycete (for example, on the surface of a mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing Sporocarp (fungi), fruiting body of a fungus, t ...

with apical projections Image:Pluteus.cervinus.spores.1000x.jpg,

Basidiospores A basidiospore is a reproductive spore produced by basidiomycete fungi, a grouping that includes mushrooms, shelf fungi, rusts, and smuts. Basidiospores typically each contain one haploid nucleus that is the product of meiosis, and they are pr ...

Image:Pluteus cervinus01.jpg, ''Pluteus cervinus''

Etymology

Description

Similar species

Distribution and habitat

Uses

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading