Amanita rubescens - Blusher

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

Cap colour is no clue at all to the identity of this large and very common mushroom; they vary from from almost whitethrough variuos shades of pink and brown to almost black. And yet there is something about a Blusher that betrays its identity to anyone who has seen them before. They blush when bruised or cut.

Unlike many amanitas the Blusher, Amanita rubescens, is edible if well cooked; but, since it causes anaemia if eaten raw, most people steer clear of using it as a food source.

Watermarked preview (new window) of Photolibrary image FN317f_amanita_rubescens.jpg (Large file)...

Watermarked preview (new window) of Photolibrary image FN318f_amanita_rubescens.jpg (Large file)...

Identification guide

Cap	5 - 20cm diameter; often brownish-pink but very variable; retaining irregularly distributed, off-white or grey fragments of the universal veil; initially domed, but flattening at maturity and occasionally becoming slightly funnel-shaped. When damaged, the gills and cap flesh turn deep pink or dull red. In very wet weather the veil fragments may get washed from the cap, but the reddening of damaged areas is always an aid to identification.
Gills	White, free, crowded. In mature specimens the gills are often marked with pink or rusty red spots. When handled, the gills very quickly blush pink or dull red.
Stem	Stem height 7 - 15cm ; diameter 1 - 2cm ; white above the stem ring but reddish-brown, often with deep pink flecks, below the stem ring; the stem flesh bruises pink The stem becomes hollow with age and bears a hanging stem ring that is quite thin and fragile, usually grooved, and often ragged. The volva is visible on immature specimens but as the fungus matures the volval remains disappear from the stem leaving a swollen base without any distinct basal rings.
Spore print	White.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	Mycorhizal with hardwood and softwood trees; particularly abundant in pine forests.
Season	June to October
Occurrence	Very common.
Similar species	Amanita caesarea (Caesar's Mushroom) is rarely if ever found except in southern Europe; its cap is brilliant orange with a striated margin, and the stipe is yellow. The caps of some samples of Amanita muscaria are orange-brown, but the veil fragments remain white. Amanita pantherina has a brown cap with white veil fragments; its flesh does not blush pink when damaged.