From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Calocybe carnea Scientific classification Kingdom: Fungi Division: Basidiomycota Class: Agaricomycetes Order: Agaricales Family: Tricholomataceae Genus: Calocybe Species: C. carnea Binomial name Calocybe carnea (Bull.) Donk Synonyms Tricholoma carneum (Bull.) P.Kumm Lyophyllum carneum (Bull.) Kühner & Romagn. Rugosomyces carneus (Bull:Fr.) Bon[1] Clitocybe socialis[2]

Calocybe carnea Mycological characteristics gills on hymenium cap is convex or flat hymenium is adnexed or sinuate stipe is bare spore print is white edibility: edible

Calocybe carnea is a small pink-capped mushroom with white gills that can be found in grassy meadows, fields, or on lawns from spring to autumn in Europe and North America. Its common names include pink fairhead^[3] and pink domecap.^[4] Although edible, it is small and thin-fleshed and potentially confused with poisonous species.

Taxonomy

Originally described as Agaricus carneus by the Frenchmycologist Jean Baptiste François Pierre Bulliard in 1792, this small pink mushroom has been through many taxonomical name changes over many years, and as a result has had many binomial names. A few of these are listed in the Synonyms section in the box at right. Its present specific name, carnea, is derived from the Latin for "flesh-coloured".^[5] The genus name is derived from the Ancient Greek terms kalos "pretty", and cubos "head".^[6]

Description

The cap is 1.5–4 cm (0.6–1.6 in) in diameter. It is usually pale pink, but can be darker, pinker, or redder. It usually fades with age. At first it is convex, but later flattens, and has a tendency to become wavy. It is smooth and dry. The stem is up to 4 cm (1.6 in) high and the same colour as the cap, and is smooth, or finely fibrillose;^[2] often narrowing towards the base, and often misshapen. The gills are adnexed to almost free; sometimes notched and are white, giving a spore print of the same colour. They are quite closely spaced initially. The flesh is white; with very little taste, or smell.

A similar species, Calocybe persicolor (Fr.) Singer, grows in tufts, has a liking for manured ground, and is sometimes recorded as a variety or variant of C. carnea.

Distribution and habitat

Calocybe carnea appears in spring, summer, and early autumn (usually after rain). It is frequent in Britain, Europe, Asia, and North America, growing in grassy meadows and fields and on lawns. It is very rarely found in woods, unless a grassy clearing is present. It seems to tolerate agricultural practices, because its fruiting bodies often appear on fertilized farmland.^[3]

Edibility

This mushroom is edible, but is unsubstantial, as it is small and thin fleshed. It is also potentially confused with poisonous species.^[2]

References