Agaricus arvensis

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Horse mushroom
Pieczarka polowa vongrzanka.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Agaricaceae
Genus: Agaricus
Species:
A. arvensis
Binomial name
Agaricus arvensis
Schaeff. (1774)
Agaricus arvensis
Information icon.svg
Gills icon.png Gills on hymenium
Convex cap icon.svg Cap is convex
Free gills icon2.svg Hymenium is free
Ring stipe icon.svg Stipe has a ring
Transparent spore print icon.svg
Transparent spore print icon.svg
Spore print is brown to blackish-brown
Saprotrophic fungus.svgEcology is saprotrophic
Mycomorphbox Choice.pngEdibility is choice

Agaricus arvensis, commonly known as the horse mushroom, [2] is a mushroom-forming fungus of the genus Agaricus .

Contents

Taxonomy

It was described as Agaricus arvensis by Jacob Christian Schaeffer in 1774, [3] and given numerous binomial descriptions since. Its specific name arvensis means 'of the field'.

Description

Agaricus arvensis showing the so-called 'cogwheel' on left-hand specimen A. arvensis showing cogwheel.jpg
Agaricus arvensis showing the so-called 'cogwheel' on left-hand specimen

The cap is 7–20 centimetres (3–8 inches), whitish, smooth, and dry; it stains yellow, particularly when young. [4] The gills are pale pink to white at first, later passing through grey and brown to become dull chocolate. [4] There is a large spreading ring, white above but sometimes with yellowish scales underneath. Viewed from below, on a closed-cap specimen, the twin-layered ring has a well-developed 'cogwheel' pattern around the stipe. This is the lower part of the double ring. The stalk is 5–12 cm (2–4+12 in) long and 1–3 cm wide. [4] The spores are brown and smooth. [4] The odor is similar to that of almond extract or marzipan, due to the presence of benzaldehyde. [5] It belongs to a group of Agaricus which tend to stain yellow on bruising.

Similar species

When young, this fungus is often confused with species of the deadly genus Amanita .

Distribution and habitat

It is one of the largest white Agaricus species in Britain (where it appears during the months of July–November), West Asia (Iran), [7] and North America. Frequently found near stables, as well as in meadows, it may form fairy rings. The mushroom is often found growing with nettles (a plant that also likes nutrient-rich soil). It is sometimes found associated with spruce. [8]

Conservation

This mushroom is considered common and widespread, and is not a conservation concern. [9]

Edibility

This is a choice edible species [10] which has been much prized by farmers for generations, being regarded as one of the most delicious of all edible fungi.[ citation needed ] Despite this, the fruit bodies of this and other yellow-staining Agaricus species often have a build-up of heavy metals, such as cadmium and copper. [9]

Related Research Articles

<i>Agaricus xanthodermus</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus xanthodermus, commonly known as the yellow-staining agaricus, yellow-staining mushroom or yellow-stainer, is a mushroom of the genus Agaricus, which displays a strong yellow colouration at the base of the stem when cut. It has a phenolic smell. It is poisonous for most people, causing gastrointestinal upset, but can be eaten by some without apparent negative effect.

<i>Agaricus</i> Genus of mushrooms

Agaricus is a genus of mushroom-forming fungi containing both edible and poisonous species, with over 400 members worldwide and possibly again as many disputed or newly-discovered species. The genus includes the common ("button") mushroom and the field mushroom, the dominant cultivated mushrooms of the West.

<i>Agaricus subrufescens</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus subrufescens is a species of mushroom, commonly known as almond mushroom, almond agaricus, mushroom of the sun, God's mushroom, mushroom of life, royal sun agaricus, jisongrong, or himematsutake. A. subrufescens is edible, with a somewhat sweet taste and a fragrance of almonds.

<i>Russula emetica</i> Species of fungus in the family Russulaceae with a wide distribution in the Northern Hemisphere

Russula emetica, commonly known as the sickener, emetic russula, or vomiting russula, is a basidiomycete mushroom, and the type species of the genus Russula. It has a red, convex to flat cap up to 8.5 cm (3.3 in) in diameter, with a cuticle that can be peeled off almost to the centre. The gills are white to pale cream, and closely spaced. A smooth white stem measures up to 10.5 cm (4.1 in) long and 2.4 cm (0.9 in) thick. First described in 1774, the mushroom has a wide distribution in the Northern Hemisphere, where it grows on the ground in damp woodlands in a mycorrhizal association with conifers, especially pine.

<i>Hygrocybe conica</i> Species of fungus

Hygrocybe conica is a species of agaric in the family Hygrophoraceae. In the UK it has been given the recommended English name of blackening waxcap, since all parts of the basidiocarp blacken with age. In North America it is commonly known as the witch's hat, conical wax cap or conical slimy cap. Hygrocybe conica is known to be a complex of at least eleven closely related species and as such is widespread in Europe, North America, Asia, and elsewhere.

<i>Agaricus campestris</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus campestris is a widely eaten gilled mushroom closely related to the cultivated A. bisporus. A. campestris is commonly known as the field mushroom or, in North America, meadow mushroom.

<i>Agaricus subrutilescens</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus subrutilescens, also known as the wine-colored agaricus, is a mushroom of the genus Agaricus. It was first described scientifically in 1925 as Psalliota subrutilescens, and later transferred to Agaricus in 1938.

<i>Agaricus augustus</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus augustus, known commonly as the prince, is a basidiomycete fungus of the genus Agaricus.

<i>Agaricus bitorquis</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus bitorquis, commonly known as torq, banded agaric, spring agaric, banded agaricus, urban agaricus, or pavement mushroom, is an edible white mushroom of the genus Agaricus, similar to the common button mushroom that is sold commercially. The name supersedes Agaricus rodmani.

<i>Agaricus silvicola</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus silvicola, also known as the wood mushroom or woodland agaricus, is a species of Agaricus mushroom related to the button mushroom. A. silvicola is a member of Agaricus section Arvenses, a group of morphologically similar mushrooms. A. silvicola, like other species in Agaricus section Arvenses, exhibits a positive Schäffer's reaction and potassium hydroxide reaction, and smells of almonds or anise.

<i>Leucoagaricus leucothites</i> Species of fungus

Leucoagaricus leucothites, commonly known as the smooth parasol, woman on motorcycle, ma'am on motorcycle, white dapperling, or white agaricus mushroom, is a species of agaric fungus. The species was originally described as Agaricus leucothites by Carlo Vittadini in 1835, and bears similarity to species of that genus. Solomon Wasser transferred it to Leucoagaricus in 1977. While sometimes regarded as edible, the species is suspected of being poisonous due to gastric-upset-causing toxins. It could also be confused with the deadly Amanita ocreata.

<i>Agaricus abruptibulbus</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus abruptibulbus is a species of mushroom in the genus Agaricus. It is commonly known as the abruptly-bulbous agaricus or the flat-bulb mushroom. First described by the mycologist Charles Horton Peck, this bulbous-stemmed edible species smells slightly of anise or bitter almond, and turns yellow when bruised or cut. The mushroom is medium-sized, with a white, yellow-staining cap on a slender stipe that has a wide, flat bulb on the base.

<i>Agaricus semotus</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus semotus is a woodland mushroom of the fungus order Agaricales. Like many of its relatives, it can be found spread throughout wooded, moist areas in the southern United States, and has been found in areas ranging from California to Florida. It is also indigenous to Great Britain and Europe. A. semotus has also been collected in New Zealand. Although various authors disagree about its edibility, its modest size prevents it from being a significant source of nutrition.

<i>Agaricus placomyces</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus placomyces is a toxic basidiomycete fungus of the genus Agaricus. It is found in North America; the Eurasian populations formerly known by the same scientific name are nowadays known as A. moelleri, while the present species may also be referred to as A. praeclaresquamosus.

<i>Agaricus deserticola</i> Species of fungus in the family Agaricaceae endemic to southwestern and western North America

Agaricus deserticola, commonly known as the gasteroid agaricus, is a species of fungus in the family Agaricaceae. Found only in southwestern and western North America, A. deserticola is adapted for growth in dry or semi-arid habitats. The fruit bodies are secotioid, meaning the spores are not forcibly discharged, and the cap does not fully expand. Unlike other Agaricus species, A. deserticola does not develop true gills, but rather a convoluted and networked system of spore-producing tissue called a gleba. When the partial veil breaks or pulls away from the stem or the cap splits radially, the blackish-brown gleba is exposed, which allows the spores to be dispersed.

<i>Agaricus silvaticus</i> Species of fungus

Agaricus silvaticus, otherwise known as the scaly wood mushroom, blushing wood mushroom, or pinewood mushroom, is a species of mushroom often found in groups in coniferous forests from early summer, or September through to November in Europe, North Africa and North America.

<i>Clavariadelphus ligula</i> Species of fungus

Clavariadelphus ligula, commonly known as the strap coral, is a species of fungus in the family Gomphaceae. It produces club-shaped fruit bodies with spongy flesh that grow in groups on the forest floor. It is found in Asia, Europe, and North America.

<i>Agaricus hondensis</i> Species of fungus in the family Agaricaceae

Agaricus hondensis, commonly known as the felt-ringed agaricus, is a species of fungus in the family Agaricaceae. The species was officially described in 1912 by mycologist William Alphonso Murrill, along with three other Agaricus species that have since been placed in synonymy with A. hondensis. Found in the Pacific Northwest region of North America, A. hondensis fruits in the fall under conifers or in mixed forests.

<i>Hygrophorus olivaceoalbus</i> Species of fungus

Hygrophorus olivaceoalbus, commonly known as the olive wax cap or sheathed waxy cap, is a species of fungus in the genus Hygrophorus. The fruit bodies (mushrooms) appear from midsummer to late autumn under conifers in North American and Eurasian mountain forests. The mushrooms have olive-brown, slimy caps with dark streaks and a dark umbo; the caps measure 3 to 12 cm in diameter. Other characteristic features include a slimy stem up to 12 cm long that is spotted with ragged scales up to a ring-like zone. As its name implies, the mushroom has a waxy cap and gills. It is native to North America and across the northern regions of Europe. According to a publication by the Council of Europe, the fungus is nearly extinct in France.

<i>Hygrophorus russula</i> Species of fungus

Hygrophorus russula, commonly known as the pinkmottle woodwax, false russula, or russula-like waxy cap, is a fungus native to North America and Europe.

References

  1. Dahlberg, A. (2019). "Agaricus arvensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T122090207A222966101. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T122090207A222966101.en . Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  2. Kuo, M. (2007). 100 Edible Mushrooms. Ann Arbor, Michigan: The University of Michigan Press. p. 238. ISBN   978-0-472-03126-9.
  3. Schaeffer, Jacob Christian (1774). Fungorum qui in Bavaria et Palatinatu circa Ratisbonam nascuntur Icones (in Latin). Vol. 4. Erlangen: J.J. Palmium. pp. 73–74.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Davis, R. Michael; Sommer, Robert; Menge, John A. (2012). Field Guide to Mushrooms of Western North America. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 220. ISBN   978-0-520-95360-4. OCLC   797915861.
  5. Dogan, A., Dalar, A., Sadullahoglu, C., Battal, A., Uzun, Y., Celik, I., & Demirel, K. (2018). Investigation of the protective effects of horse mushroom (Agaricus arvensis Schaeff.) against carbon tetrachloride-induced oxidative stress in rats. Molecular Biology Reports, 45(5), 787–797. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-018-4218-4
  6. Roger Phillips (2006). Mushrooms. Pan MacMillan. ISBN   0-330-44237-6.
  7. Asef Shayan MR. (2010). قارچهای سمی ایران (Qarch-ha-ye Sammi-ye Iran)[Poisonous mushrooms of Iran] (in Persian). Iran shenasi. p. 214. ISBN   978-964-2725-29-8.
  8. Lincoff, Gary. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms. Chanticleer Press: New York, 1981.
  9. 1 2 "Plants & Fungi: Agaricus arvensis (horse mushroom) - Species profile from". Kew. Archived from the original on 2013-03-18. Retrieved 2013-05-19.
  10. Miller Jr., Orson K.; Miller, Hope H. (2006). North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi. Guilford, CN: FalconGuide. p. 280. ISBN   978-0-7627-3109-1.