I spotted a distinctive group of white mushrooms today that really caught my eye.  They had obvious “rings” on the stems, so my first thought was of the poisonous death cap mushroom.  I quickly realized that the gills were not white though–in fact they were dark, chocolate brown. Hmmm, I wonder what that is? Out came the camera, and several hours later, I think I may have identified it.  (Or maybe I’ve gotten close, anyway.)

Mushroom identification is challenging. Even after pouring over several sources, and looking at multiple features, it is often difficult to positively ID a mushroom. Nonetheless, I’m prepared to say that “this specimen is very close to Agaricus leptocaulis“.

I’ve noted these details:

1. The mushroom cap is creamy white with a brown center.
2. The gills are free from the stem. The thin stem breaks cleanly from the cap. 
3. There is a partial veil which leaves a ring (annulus) on the stem (stipe). 
4. The gills are pink when young, turning dark brown as the mushroom matures. 
5. The spore print is brown. 
6. The flesh is thin. The surface of the mushroom turns yellow when rubbed on the cap and stem. 
7. Base is small. Inside the base (at the bottom of the stem) the flesh is yellow and smells like ink.

If you happen to know your mushrooms and you think I’ve misidentified this one, please leave a comment below.  Thanks!

Primary Source:

Kuo, M. (2017, December). Agaricus xanthodermus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/agaricus_xanthodermus.html

Partial veil

Flesh of the base is yellow staining; spore print is brown.

Rubbing the flesh produces yellow staining

Yellow flesh in the base

Gills pink, then brown; partial veil