Identifying mushrooms

[Moontanman]

I disagree with Buffy, though appreciate her warning. There are many excellent books that can guide you through the process of identifying mushrooms very precisely. The most common edible mushrooms are easy to identify, although it is always wise to go through the identification procedure unless you have much experience. My standby is the Complete Book of Mushrooms by Rinaldi and Tyndalo.

 

Mycological societies are great because you can get with other enthusiasts for forays. When I was living France, hunting the black trumpets was a huge outing. Not to mention the feast afterwards.

 

 

I used to collect mushrroms for food, wild mushrooms can really be delicious or deadly. I never poisoned anyone but I was very careful and studied the pictures very closely and never ate anything I wasn't completly sure of. Experimentation isn't good idea when it comes to eating muchrooms. There are a few types that contain no poinsonous species and are easy to identify. Coral muchrooms come to mind, but this may not be true outside the Eastern USA. where you are is as important as the species involved. In some areas look alike species do exist and know that is very important.

[Moontanman]

This looks like one that would be easy to identify.

 

Yes, it really is that colour! Entoloma hochstetteri contains three azulene pigments which are responsible for this stunning colour:

This is from a great science/biology news website that is definitely worth a look at:

Mycology MicrobiologyBytes

 

Azuline is in chamomile flowers too ( the essential oil is blue).

Synthetic azuline is now made, as that from chamomile is so expensive to extract.

Azuline is an anti-inflammatory used sometimes in cosmetics for its soothing effects.

 

What a wondeful color! Is it edible or will my body turn blue when I die?