Clouded Agaric - Clitocybe nebularis
Family - Tricholomataceae
Also known as - Clouded Funnel, Clouded Funnel Cap
A very common saprobic fungi in Britain and Ireland often found growing from August to early December as "fairy rings" in coniferous forests, it will also be found in deciduous woods and hedgerows. Also found in parts of North America and in most parts of mainland Europe. Growing on a stem 2–3cm (0.8–1.2in) in diameter and with a swollen base to around 6–13cm (2.5–5.0in) tall, the cap is somewhere between 6 and 25cm (2.4–10.0in) in diameter, convex or conical in its early stages, it flattens out becoming concave or funnel–shaped with a wavy margin, grey in colour fading to white towards the edge, often with a cloud like pattern in the central region, taking over a month to reach its final size. The adnate gills are initially white becoming a pale cream with age.
"Fairy rings", are believed by some to be a portal between the fairy world and the human world. In reality it is a growth pattern from the way the mycelium grows underground from a central point, spreading outwards searching for more nutrients. As new fruiting bodies are produced over time the "ring" expands outwards.
FBCP do not advise or recommend that Clouded Agaric – Clitocybe nebularis is eaten or used as an herbal remedy. The Clouded Agaric has in the past been regarded as edible, however it is now widely reported as toxic with some people reacting very badly to this fungi. It apparently has a sweet smell reminiscent of Turnip. Some describe it as foul smelling or rancid.
Clitocybe nebularis was first described in 1789 by August Batsch as Agaricus nebularis, it was reclassified as C. nebularis in 1871 Paul Kummer where it is now the type species of the genus Clitocybe. Similar to the Wood Blewit Lepista nuda but his species has pale lilac sinuate gills. Clouded Agaric may be parasitised by a rare pink–gilled mushroom, the Piggyback Rosegill – Volvariella surrecta
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