100 Species #93: Abortive Entoloma

[urbpan]

These abortive Entoloma mushrooms Entoloma abortivum/Armillaria gallica emerged among others in profusion around the roots of a Norway maple bordered by the side yard fence and the southwest retaining wall.

Entoloma is a genus of fairly nondescript medium-sized neutral-colored gilled mushrooms that includes both edible and poisonous species. Most are probably mycorrhizal, and are found on open ground near trees. E. abortivum sometimes produces sterile, misshapen, puffball or cauliflower-like fruiting bodies, in association with another the fungus species Armillaria gallica. You may recognize that second fungus genus to be that of the honey mushrooms--the previous species in this project was the ringless honey mushroom Armillaria tabescens.

When it was discovered that these two fungi species interacted to produce "aborted" fruiting bodies, it was assumed that the honey mushroom--known to be a parasite of tree roots--was parasitizing the Entoloma. In 2001, mycologist Tom Volk demonstrated that the "carpophoroid" bodies were actually deformed honey mushrooms, and that Entoloma should be considered a pathogen of Armillaria. A parasite of a parasite.

Surprisingly, this particular species duo is not rare. In fact, these were some of the first mushrooms we discovered in the very first mushroom class I ever took (Habitat in 1998 I think). They appear regularly in various places on Drumlin Farm, and I have found them in other places as well. I was still surprised to find them in my new yard. I'm only counting it as one species, since I'm still ahead of schedule.



http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/sep2006.html

Comments

[klingonlandlady.livejournal.com]

I've been finding these in the woods near my house for a couple of years- very plentiful! The interesting thing is, they seem to be shaking off their parasitism, and this year are appearing in various states of partial cauliflower-ness alongside some normal-looking small greyish capped mushrooms. The less-affected ones seem smaller and greyer than honey mushrooms, could they be Entolomas? We've been eating the Aborted (cauliflowered) versions for a couple of years and they're fine, but a bit small and soft when you fry them.

[urbpan.livejournal.com]

I've definitely found normal entolomas near them--they are smaller than honey mushrooms, grow singly rather than from clusters, and are gray capped. The spore print is supposedly pinkish. Even though the species that is involved is edible, most sources say to avoid them, since they are so easily confused with poisonous species, which may also grow nearby.

[klingonlandlady.livejournal.com]

I can understand that, the entolomas are pretty nondescript. But as I've got them growing in semi-clusters in various states of parasitism, it seems like we can tell what they are (keying out with spore prints every time, of course).

[ndozo.livejournal.com]

Those would look awesome if you were wearing those snappy blue gloves...