Leathery mycenastrum (Mycenastrum corium)
Systematics:
- Department: Basidiomycota (Basidiomycetes)
- Subdivision: Agaricomycotina (Agaricomycetes)
- Class: Agaricomycetes (Agaricomycetes)
- Subclass: Agaricomycetidae (Agaricomycetes)
- Order: Agaricales (Agaric or Lamellar)
- Family: Agaricaceae (Champignon)
- Genus: Mycenastrum (Mitsenastrum)
- Species: Mycenastrum corium (Mycenastrum leathery)
Fruit body: spherical or flattened-spherical. Sometimes the fruit body has an ovoid, elongated shape. The diameter of the fruit body is approximately 5-10 centimeters. At the base there is a thick tapered strand of mycelium, which is covered with a dense layer of grains of sand. Later, a tubercle forms at the site of the strand.
Exoperidium: first white, then yellowish and even later grayish, thin. As the fungus matures, the exoperidium breaks into scales and falls off.
Endoperidium: first fleshy, up to three millimeters thick, then brittle, corky. In the upper part, the endoperidium cracks into irregular lobe-like parts. Painted in light brown, lead gray and ash brown.
Gleba: at first the gleba is whitish or yellowish, compact, then becomes loose, powdery, olive-colored. Ripe mushrooms have dark purple-brown gleb without a sterile base. Has no pronounced taste and smell.
Spores: warty, globular or ellipsoidal, light brown in color. Spore powder: olive brown.
Distribution: Leathery Mycenastrum is found in forests, deserts, pastures, and more. Mostly in eucalyptus groves. Prefers manured soils saturated with nitrogen and other organic matter. A relatively rare species, not often found. Bears fruit in the spring and summer. It mainly lives in the desert or semi-desert zone. Remnants of last year's endoperidia are sometimes found in spring.
Edible: good edible mushroom, but only at a young age, as long as the flesh is firm and white. The taste of this mushroom is equated to fried meat.
Similarity: all mushrooms of the genus Mycenastrum have spherical or flattened fruiting bodies, with a characteristic mycilial strand at the base, which breaks off as the fruiting body ripens, leaving only a tubercle. Therefore Leathery Mitsenastrum can be mistaken for almost any mushroom of this genus.
Note: Mycenastrum resembles white balls that quickly turn yellow and crack on the outside. Under the cracking shell, you can see the flesh of a dirty olive color. Only young balls with a whole even shell are eaten.
Photo of the Mitsenastrum leathery mushroom from the questions in recognition:
2017.03.11 Tatiana 
2017.03.11 Evgeniy 
2017.03.11 Kondratyev Alexander 
2018.10.09 Valery
