xerocomellus crysenteron, Sony Nex vg-10, 35-105mm, Macro +4 Filter
Since I now regularly review common mushrooms, I want to start a series involving the community for some mushroom identification. By posting pictures of mushroom finds, I try to simply asses, remember names and I invite community engagement, welcomed in the comment section. With a little support from the community, I'd be glad if anyone can point out any misidentifications or hint on what helps to identify the mushroom in question. With regular posts, I hope that this series will be educational and benefit everyone who is interested.
Can you try to hypothetically or definitively identify the above mushroom?
The following were reviewed and discussed in a regular mycological study group I go to weekly.
| Class | Agaricomycetes |
| Scientific Name | Scleroderma Citrinum |
| Common Name | Earthball |
| Appearence | similar to warty potato |
| Type | Mycorrhizal |
| Odeur | unpleasant, gas |
| Culinary | inedible |
| Class | Craterellus |
| Scientific Name | Craterellus cornucopioides |
| Common Name | horn of plenty |
| Appearence | a deep funnel |
| Habitat | Found under Beech and sometimes Oak trees |
| Type | Mycorrhizal |
| Odeur | undefined |
| Culinary | edible |
| Taste | delicious, mild, smells pleasant |
| Medicinal properties | Antimutagenicity Ethanolic extracts of the black trumpet inhibited the mutagenic effects of aflatoxin B1, benzo[a]pyrene, the acridine half mustard ICR-191 and 2-nitrofluorene in the Ames test for mutagenesis. Using the same test, the extracts had no inhibitory effects on 4-nitroquinoline-N-oxide, methyl methanesulfonate or N-methyl-N’-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine Anti-tumor effects Polysaccharides extracted from the mycelial culture of C. cornucopioides and administered intraperitoneally into white mice at a dosage of 300 mg/kg inhibited the growth of Sarcoma 180 and Ehrlich solid cancers by 60% and 70%, respectively (Ohtsuka et al., 1973). Source |
| Class | Basidiomycetes |
| Scientific Name | lycoperdon |
| Family | Agaricaceae |
| Common Name | puffball |
| Appearence | pear shaped , covered in tiny pearl-like attachments |
| Habitat | Grass, Leaf litter, |
| Type | saprotrophic |
| Odeur | gas like |
| Culinary | edible when it isn't brown on the inside |
| Taste | good |
| Medicinal properties | Antimicrobial Lycoperdon perlatum contains useful, biologically active components [2.]. Using different methods of extraction from the fruiting body of Lycoperdon perlatum (water, methanol and ethanol), the microbial activity of the mushroom was tested on bacteria. Antimicrobial activity was demonstrated against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Candida albicans and Candida glabrata in the methanol and ethanol Lycoperdon perlatum extracts. The water-based extract was also resistant to all bacterial strains except for Pseudomonas aeruginosa [3.]. When compared to other mushrooms, Lycoperdon perlatum showed the most antimicrobial activity in vitro, a zone of 15mm of no microbial activity in the presence of the extract was considered highly active. Lycoperdon perlatum showed a microbial inhibition zone of 24mm for Bacillus subtilis with 19mm and 18mm, respectively for Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus [4.]. Healing properties and prevention of bleeding North American Indians used puffballs for medicinal purposes, in particular as a styptic (able to stop a wound bleeding when applied). The soft, centre of dried and immature puffballs, when broken up and then applied onto the broken skin or wound, helps to prevent continued bleeding. The Cherokee Indians also used it as a healing agent for sores [5.]. It is also reported that the fibrous mass that is left after the spores have escaped the puffball can be used as a wound dressing. Antioxidant properties Reactive oxygen species can cause extensive damage to cells, so the search for biologically active compounds to mitigate the effects continues. The antioxidant properties were considerable when water extracts of Lycoperdon perlatum were examined compared to other mushrooms, showing the highest radical-scavenging activity (43.2% at a dose concentration of 4.0mg/ml) [6.].Source |
To be honest I find this one hard to remember. Craterellus cornucopioides. A mnemonic for it that helps is meteorite crater
Previous Posts on Mushrooms:
Posts of Wild Herbs:
Graffiti of vanishing
Dong Chang 东厂
aka Rane
'They called them wizards, magicians or mad men, their wisdom relayed as truth and their knowledge lost to history as legend. Yet what the spectators saw wasn't magic. Their minds could not perceive beyond the common they were accustomed to; They call them cretinous, bird brained and bubble headed. Clinging to the dogmas of masses, they fail to stand firm on their own beliefs, being testament of their own vision as witnesses. Simply following patterns and falling in place, ignorant to spaces that surround them, the visual spectrum of their minds eye is narrowed, never moving outside their box. Because they stand no ground, lost outside of themselves, they are merely limited minds that cannot be reasoned with. Lost in arrogance that isn't their own, they're inconsiderate to modesty, overlooking humble metaphors. What is science to the discoverers, becomes insanity for mere mortal monkeys claiming to be humans, because their ability lies only in repeating what they hear and mimicking what they see. Lost in the delusions, unaware of their savagery, they obstruct the progression of all humankind.' - 
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