Untitled

This Friday’s fungus is marasmius oreades, commonly known as fairy ring champignon or Scotch bonnet mushroom (not to be confused with the Scotch bonnet pepper). It is a basidiomycete with a mostly flat cap, often with a bump in the middle of the surface and an uplifted margin (edge of cap). It is usually pale tan or yellowish, and occasionally white. Marasmius oreades grows in ‘fairy rings’ in lawns, meadows, and other grassy areas.  While marasmius oreades is best known, over sixty other discovered fungi species grow in rings. Mushrooms like agaricus campestris (field mushroom or pink bottom) and chlorophyllum molybdites (false parasol or green-spored parasol) are commonly misidentified. Mistaking poisonous mushroom species like chlorophyllum molybdites or clitocybe dealbata for the harmless marasmius oreades can cause serious and potentially fatal poisoning; please do not pick wild mushrooms unless you are an expert, and always be careful of what you touch. Marasmius oreades is considered a choice edible mushroom and is native to North America and Europe.