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January 17, 2024
Mushroom Monday: Parasol Mushrooms
Happy Mushroom Monday everyone! Today’s Mushroom Monday mushroom is the Parasol Mushroom (Macrolepiota procera).
What do Parasol Mushrooms Look Like?
The parasol mushroom looks like an umbrella, which is where it gets its name (a parasol is used for shade, while an umbrella protects from rain).
The cap is tan in color and round and has a central knob on it that’s known by the term “umbo“.
When they are young, the cap is a sphere. It starts out brown, but as it grows, the white underneath shows through. The brown color remains as spots on the cap. As it grows, the cap opens into the umbrella shape.
The gills of the mushroom are white/cream in color and packed together and the stem is cream/white in color and has a mottled appearance with brown and gray. The mottled appearance can make the stem look like the skin of a snake. This feature is one of the ways the mushroom is identified. The stem is hollow and usually has a skirt. The skirt has two layers and is usually loose on the stem, such that it can be moved along it.
The base of the parasol mushroom has a bulb-like shape.
How Big are Parasol Mushrooms?
Parasol mushrooms can get very large. Although it can vary, parasol mushrooms can get to be sixteen inches tall with a cap that’s a foot across. Some caps can be three to eight inches across, and stalks can be five to sixteen inches in length.
Where can Parasol Mushrooms be found?
Parasol mushrooms can be found in North America as well as Europe and they can be seen in fields and woods and can sometimes be found with ferns. They can be found alone or in groups or rings, but don’t form clumps when they grow.
What Kind of Mushroom are They?
The parasol mushroom is a saprophyte (like the porcini and pear-shaped puffball mushrooms we’ve featured before).
Are There any Lookalike Mushrooms?
There are different mushrooms that resemble parasol mushrooms. One example are false parasols (Chlorophyllum molybdites). These are toxic mushrooms. They look similar to parasol mushrooms, but don’t have the snake-like stem.
