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The gentian white pig has several synonymous names: bitter white pig, gentian leukopaxillus. A different name for the fungus was previously used - Leucopaxillus amarus.
Where does the gentian white pig grow
The fungus is not widespread everywhere: in addition to Russia, it grows in small quantities in Western Europe and North America. The main habitat is deciduous plantings, rich in calcareous soil.
Most often found in old spruce forests and other coniferous plantations, where it forms "witch circles"
The mushroom can grow both in groups and singly. The main fruiting period lasts from the last week of June to early September.
What does a gentian white pig look like?
The cap in fruiting bodies is 4 to 12 cm in diameter. In some specimens, this indicator is 20 cm. In young specimens, the cap is hemispherical; as it ripens, it straightens: it becomes convex or flat-convex. In some fruiting bodies, it is flat-spread, with a depression in the center.
The color changes depending on the maturity of the fungus: young specimens are reddish-brown, with darkening in the middle.
At the end of the fruiting period, the cap turns pale, acquiring an orange-yellow or white tint.
Some of the specimens are cracked, their edges are slightly curled
The plates are narrow, descending in shape, often located. They are white or creamy in color. Some specimens have yellowish blades with reddish-brown spots or stripes.
The leg reaches 4.5 cm in length, even, but with a thickened base, white in color with flakes on the surface
The pulp of leukopaxillus is yellowish-white in color and has a pungent powdery aroma. It tastes very bitter.
The twin of the gentian white pig is a scaly row. The mushroom is fleshy, its flesh is white and dense, has a mealy smell. The hat for the row is from 4 to 8 cm in diameter, round or bell-shaped with turned-up edges. She has a matte surface with scales, reddish-brown in color with a reddish center. The leg is cylindrical, slightly curved.
The scaly row grows in mixed forests or in coniferous plantings, giving preference to pines
The twin is edible, in some sources it is indicated as conditionally edible or inedible. The inconsistency of information is associated with the lack of knowledge of the species.
It has an external resemblance to the white-pigeon gentian and the ryadovka is white-brown. She has a hemispherical or convex-outstretched cap with a fibrous skin, which cracks over time and creates the appearance of scales. Color from brown with a touch of chestnut to brownish. There are lighter specimens. The plates are frequent, white interspersed with a reddish-brown hue.
The leg of young representatives is white, but as the fruit bodies ripen, it changes color to brown
The mushroom is conditionally edible; it requires soaking and boiling before use. In foreign sources, it belongs to the category of inedible.
Unlike the gentian white pig, the double's flesh under the skin has a reddish-brown tint, not bitter in taste.
Is it possible to eat the gentian white pig
Fruit bodies are classified as inedible, but not poisonous. They are not eaten because of their taste: the pulp is very bitter.
Conclusion
The gentian white pig is a beautiful, large, but inedible mushroom. It grows in coniferous plantations. The fruiting period is from July to September.
