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Macrocystidia cucumis
The cap is convex to flat, dark red to blackish brown, very much paler when dry and grows up to 5 cm in diameter. The gills are white, later reddish and quite crowded. The spores are pale ochre. The stem is a similar colour to the cap, thin, and velvety at the base. The flesh is white and has a smell of freshly cut cucumbers.
Ecology: Saprobic; terrestrial; growing alone, gregariously or in troops in woods, disturbed ground, grassy areas, gardens, and so on; summer and fall (or winter in warm climates); fairly widely distributed in North America (documented in the Pacific Northwest, Illinois, Ohio, and Quebec) but seldom collected.
There is no denying that Macrocystidia cucumis is an LBM ("Little Brown Mushroom"), not likely to attract the attention of most mushroom hunters. Aside from the fact that it smells strongly of cucumbers or fish, it has few easily observed features separating it from dozens (even hundreds) of look-alikes--and it can't even muster up a stable spore print color to help narrow down the possibilities; the color of the print ranges from whitish to pinkish, yellowish, or brownish. Under the microscope, however, Macrocystidia cucumis is very distinct and very cool. As its genus name suggests, it is covered from head to toe with enormous cystidia that can be seen even at low magnifications. Rickenella fibula looks similar under the microscope, but only under the microscope; it is bright orange. Description: Cap: 1-6 cm across; bell-shaped at first, becoming broadly bell-shaped, broadly convex, or nearly flat; smooth, silky, or very finely velvety; dark reddish brown, often with a paler margin; fading with age. Gills: Attached to the stem (sometimes by a notch); close; whitish, becoming yellowish to pinkish yellow. Stem: Up to 8 cm long and 5 mm thick; more or less equal; dry; finely velvety; tough; colored like the cap, but paler above and darker below. Flesh: Insubstantial; brownish. Odor and Taste: Odor strong, reminiscent of cucumbers or fish; taste mild or slightly fishy. Spore Print: Variable; whitish, pinkish, dirty yellowish, pale pinkish brown. Chemical Reactions: KOH dark olive, then gray on cap surface. Microscopic Features: Spores 7-9 x 3-4.5 µ; smooth; elliptical; inamyloid. Enormous, lanceolate cystidia (up to 90 µ long and over 20 µ wide) on cap surface, gills, and stem surface.
2 Comments
Cucumbers OR fish? Now I'm curious. Good spotting.
very interesting !