Parasol mushroom - Macrolepiota procera

This large fungus is fairly common and was named Parasol Mushroom as it resembles a lady’s parasol.

Habitat

It can be found on well drained soils, either singly or in groups and fairy rings (these are naturally occurring rings or arcs of mushrooms) mainly in grasslands and pastures and sometimes in woodlands from July to October.

Description

The Parasol Mushroom can reach a large size reaching a height of 25cm and the cap can reach 20cm. The cap is egg shaped when immature with the margin around the stem making a chamber inside the cap; as it matures the margin breaks off leaving a fleshy moveable ring around the stem. Once the cap is mature it is circular shaped and flat with a little bump in the centre, grey to beige in colour with concentric rings of dark brown scales. Its narrow stem is beige with scaly looking markings when it’s mature, and a double ring that can be moved; it reaches full height before the cap is fully expanded. Its gills are ivory coloured and sometimes a pale pink tinge is present; it also has a nutty smell.

Parasol Mushrooms are edible and are quite popular, but many of the fungi in the same family are poisonous and it is hard to tell them apart.