The gypsy mushroom was originally described as Agaricus caperatus in 1796. It has a buff to brownish-ochre cap 5–10 cm diameter, which is covered with whitish fibres. The surface has a wrinkled and furrowed texture and may have a lilac tinge when young.
About Cortinarius caperatus in brief
The gypsy mushroom was originally described as Agaricus caperatus in 1796 by South African mycologist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon. It has a buff to brownish-ochre cap 5–10 cm diameter, which is covered with whitish fibres. The surface has a wrinkled and furrowed texture and may have a lilac tinge when young. In central Europe, old specimens could be confused with the poisonous Inocybe erubescens in summer. Fruiting bodies of C. caperatus have been found to bioaccumulate mercury and radioactive isotopes of caesium. Common names include the gypsy Mushroom, gypsy, and wrinkled rozites.
An unusual common name is granny’s nightcap in Finland. The mushroom is picked seasonally in throughout Europe. Although mild-tasting and highly regarded, the mushrooms are often infested with maggots. The spores measure 10–13 µm long by 8–9 m wide. The flesh is cream-coloured and the flavor is mild. The fruit bodies appear in autumn in coniferous and beech woods as well as heathlands in late summer and autumn. The stipe is 4–7 cm high and 1–1. 5 cm thick and slightly swollen at the base, and has a whitish ring. The clay-colored gills are attached to the stipe under the cap.
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This page is based on the article Cortinarius caperatus published in Wikipedia (as of Nov. 30, 2020) and was automatically summarized using artificial intelligence.
