Agrocybe praecox - Spring Fieldcap

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

In spring and early summer these attractive fungi emerge beside paths and in hedgerows, often carpeting the edges of walks that have been spread with wood chippings.

Commonly known as the Spring Fieldcap or, in some field guides, as the Spring Agaric, Agrocybe praecox isconsidered edible but it must first be well cooked.

Note: In some field guides this mushroom is recorded in the family Bolbitiaceae.

Identification Guide

	Cap 3 to 9cm in diameter. Cream or pale tan; convex and slightly greasy when young, expanding to almost flat with a smooth surface that sometimes wrinkles and crazes when old. The cap flesh is firm and almost white.
	Gills Adnate or adnexed, the gills are pale buff at first, becoming dirty brown as the spores mature.
Stem	Almost white when young, becoming browner with age, the stem has a white ring that discolours to brown as the spores mature and fall. The stem is 5 to 15mm in diameter and 4 to 10cm tall; its base is bulbous. The fibrous stem is full, with buff flesh that ages light brown.
Spore print	Hazel-brown.
Odour/taste	Slightly mealy odour; nutty taste.
Habitat	Scattered or in small tufts at woodland edges, and beside wood chip paths and on rotting straw.
Season	May to August; occasionally in September..
Occurrence	Infrequent.
Similar species	Agrocybe molesta (= Agrocybe dura), which also occurs in spring, is paler and has an umbonate cap at maturity. Agrocybe cylindracea grows on stumps of poplars and willows.