Agaricus bitorquis - Pavement Mushroom

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

Agaricus bitorquis, commonly known as the Pavement Mushroom because it often appears on the edge of pavements and sometimes even between paving slabs, is an edible mushroom.

There is nothing about the appearance or location of these often worm-ridden fungi that says 'eat me', and although often reported as edible they are surely best left to drop their spores and then rot away.

Identification guide

	Cap Initially convex and then becoming flattened, the surface of the cap is white and finely flaky and the thick cap flesh is white, turning slightly pink on exposure to air. At maturity, the cap diameter is between 4 and 10cm.
	Gills The gills are narrow and free; initially grey-pink they turn chocolate brown and eventually almost black as the fruitbody matures.
Stem	At 3 to 6cm tall, the white stipe is shorter in proportion than that of many species in this family. The stem is solid and its diameter is 1.5 to 2cm. Below the insubstantial membranous double ring, the surface of the stem is flaky.
Spore print	Deep chocolate brown.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	On dry soil beside footpaths; occasionally it is to be seen pushing up through tarmac or in the gaps between paving slabs.
Season	Late spring to autumn.
Occurrence	Fairly rare.
Similar species	Agaricus campestris, the Field Mushroom, is very similar but with a more substantial single ring; it is usually taller for the same cap diameter.