Hi I am new to this forum and mushrooming.Recently I spent some time in Hood River Oregon and on my many walks there found a LOT of shaggy manes.We ate like kings and that has me exploring the world of mushrooms with much enthusiasm! This morning while out for a walk along my local beach here in Metchosin(Victoria ) BC I noticed some large mushrooms a ways up the sandy, fir and arbutus, covered embankment...(amazing how once we learn a little about something it appears everywhere).They smell very nice . The only ID book I have is "All That the rain Promises and More..." by David Arora. I can't seem to find anything in it that makes me feel sure of an ID so thought that maybe someone out there could help.The spores, so far, seem to be brown . Thanks very much!
Hey there Jennn, Agaricus of some sort: Does it smell like almonds or bandaids or just mushroomy? That will put it in one of the big three Agaricus groups. cheers, frog
Hey Frog ,thanks for the reply.I can hardly believe it but yes it smells like band-aids...were you serious? I have been reading what I can and I should add that the spores are brown,the cap is dry and when I pinch it it turns sort of yellow. I would love to fry these things up but they weigh almost a pound each which is a lot of bad if they aren't edible!
Don't hold me to this...but with a brown spore print...the odor...and the YELLOW.....don't eat. An idea? Agarics is the family that they gather poison for flies from....the majority of this family is toxic...with some even being deadly. A possible id for this? Agaricus meleagris...
I was hoping that it was Agaricus augustus (Prince) which is said to be very good eating but now I am thinking that is may be Agaricus praeclaresquamosus (flat topped Agarius)which is not edible.The only real difference between the two that I can discern is that the latter has white then pink then tan gills and a smooth stem and these are characteristics of my mushrooms. Agaricus Meleagris isn't in my book but even so I'm getting the idea that I won't be sauteing these mushrooms up after all. Thanks for your advice !
I think you're right Jennn that it is A. praeclaresquamosus - for appearance and smell, also as this is a mushroom of our area, and that it has been popping up a fair bit this year in the PNW. There are other bandaid-smellers about, but this seems the likeliest species. Prince looks a bit similar, but is a Spring thing, almond smell, and usually the size and the cap colour and pattern/texture are features are strong enough to distinguish it from the other Agarici when you see it in real life. cheers! frog
Thanks so much for your help Frog and C.Wick! I may ask for some other IDs in the future, best to you, Jen
Hello again...I was just viewing other links on this site and came across this one.. http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=10130 ..it was posted a few years ago but recently updated. After viewing THESE ones...not so sure of the ID I gave..and after talking with Frog I guess I've got the right IDEA? just not the right ONE of the 'flat-topped' fellows...lol
Bandaids. Very cool, Frog. I could never put a name to the smell. Princes are also late summer and early fall. They are invitingly golden brown, and not dingey looking. I had my last about a month ago. THere is some overlap but the "prae" seem to be later. They never attain the huge sizes that prince will ofen do. One fellow said about the Praeclaresquamosus, and I agree with the second part that "not everyone who eats them gets sick, but they never looked friendly to him." It is frustrating that these are always found in quantities that are at least "meal-worthy". I have even found them under cedar trees (thuja) wher I do not find any other large mushrooms. They seem to be much whiter when they appear earlier in the season, but they are very dark by now. I fried some once and the smell coming off the pan was enough to get me to throw them out. Wish I knew so much about mushrooms I LIKE!
Interesting: Have never seen them in the fall - will have to keep my eyes peeled next yr! Had fried Prince on toast once - very tasty! -frog
