Lepista saeva - Field Blewit

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

Lepista saeva, the Field Blewit, is less common than its close relative the Wood Blewit, and it differs in having a cap coloured greyish brown rather than violet even when young; its preferred habitat is calcareous grassland, although occasionally this edible mushroom can be found also in woods.

Field Blewits are rated as good edible mushrooms as long as they are well cooked; however, they can upset some people's stomachs so try a small sample initially.

Identification Guide

Cap	The smooth cap, up to 12cm in diameter, is usually domed but older specimens sometimes become slightly concave. Old specimens sometimes develop wavy cap margins.
Gills	Sinuate and crowded, the gills are almost white when young, turning pinkish buff as the fruitbody matures.
Stem	15 to 25mm in diameter and 4 to 6cm tall, the stipe is solid and oftern slightly bulbous at the base.
Spore print	Pale pink.
Odour/taste	Strongly perfumed with a pleasant taste.
Habitat	Chalk or limestone grassland; occasionally in woods on calcareous soil.
Season	Most plentiful from September to January and sometimes well in to February.
Occurrence	Common.
Similar species	Lepista nuda, the Wood Blewit, is a more common species; it is very similar but has a violet tinge to the cap.