A large and very tasty, easily recognised edible mushroom. Be careful to check for the snake-skin like stem patterns - there are similar fungi that are toxic but they lack this pattern.
Identifying features:-- Large cap (to 25cm across)with brown or tan scales and a central boss or umbo. Starts off looking like a large drumstick and then flattens as it opens - never sunken in the centre
- Tall stem (to 30m ) with snake-skin like pattern (very important!). Collar like ring that slides up and down the stem.
- White gills that turn light beige
- Often grows in grass, in clusters of 3 or 4 on the edge of woodlands, roadside verges or meadows
Similar species - Shaggy parasol (Chlorophyll rhacodes) - very similar species but no snake-skin pattern on stem. Gills bruise red and stem bruises orange when pulled away from cap. Must be cooked before eating - does give some people digestive problems.
- Macrolepiota konradii - cap usually depressed or sunken, scales larger with star shaped central scale, pale zigzag pattern on stem
- Dapperlings (Lepiota species) - large family of fungi, considerably smaller (caps 3-10cm across and stems 4-6cm tall), many species are toxic
