Hebeloma mesophaeum - Veiled Poisonpie

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

Nearly always associated with conifers on sandy acidic soil, Hebeloma mesophaeum is a relatively small and very common mushroom; it is yet another that gives off a radish-like odour when cut or crushed.

Hebeloma mesophaeum occurs most often under pine trees in late summer and autumn, where it sometimes grows in very large groups. This infrequently encountered mycorrhizal species is poisonous.

Identification guide

	Cap Young caps are convex, later becoming almost flat. The centre is date brown, while the outer area is pale buff with an almost white margin. The surface is viscid in wet weather, and the flesh of the cap is white. Cap diameter varies from 2.5 to 4.5cm at maturity.
	Gills Young specimens have pale clay-brown gills; they are adnate or adnexed and moderately crowded. As the spores mature, the gills turn darker brown.
Stem	3 to 4mm in diameter and 4 to 7cm tall, the fibrous stems are pale buff, gradually becoming tinged with brown as the fruiting body ages. The stem flesh is also buff. There is no distinct ring but just a zone-like region.
Spore print	Brown.
Odour/taste	Strong odour of radish; bitter taste.
Habitat	Mainly under pines in damp places.
Season	August to November.
Occurrence	Infrequent.

Reference Sources

Fascinated by Fungi, Pat O'Reilly 2011

Dictionary of the Fungi; Paul M. Kirk, Paul F. Cannon, David W. Minter and J. A. Stalpers; CABI, 2008

Taxonomic history and synonym information on these pages is drawn from many sources but in particular from the British Mycological Society's GB Checklist of Fungi and (for basidiomycetes) on Kew's Checklist of the British & Irish Basidiomycota.