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Agaricus arvensis - Horse Mushroom

 
Roadside verges and permanent pasture are places to look for this large, edible fungus. Agaricus arvensis first appears in summer, and these large mushrooms can often be found until the end of autumn.

Identification guide

Cap

This is one of the largest mushrooms in the genus: the caps of Agaricus arvensis mature at  8 to 20 cm diameter. White, smooth or finely scaly, the cap is initially spherical and expands until it is flat or nearly so. The thick flesh is white and firm. Old caps often take on a yellow-brown tinge.

Gills

At first pale pink, darkening and then becoming brown, the gills are free and crowded.

Stipe

Up to 10 cm tall, the parallel stem usually a small bulb at its base and a robust, double ring with a cog-wheel form on the underside.

The solid stem is smooth above the ring but sometimes finely scaly below. Its diameter ranges from 2 to 3 cm. 

Spore print

Dark purple-brown.

Odour/taste

Taste not distinctive. Strong odour of aniseed.

Habitat

In manured meadows and beside bridle paths and other places where there is plenty of decaying horse manure.

Season

August to November.

Occurrence

Frequent.

Similar species

  1. The poisonous Yellow Stainer, Agaricus xanthodermus, quickly turns bright chrome yellow when cut or bruised, and it smells of iodine or ink rather than of aniseed.
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