Content
Kserula modest (colibia) is a type of lamellar caps of pedunculated mushrooms that are part of the Physalacrium family. They are so rare in the forests that most of even seasoned lovers of "quiet hunting" did not have a chance to find them, and the descriptions of this representative of the mushroom kingdom are rather short. For an avid mushroom picker, this species may be of some interest.
What a modest Xerula looks like
The modest Xerula looks unusual: a large flat cap is located on a thin long leg, abundantly covered with villi from below. Young specimens resemble a nail. Due to their unusual appearance, many people consider them poisonous.
The pulp of the fruiting body is thin, brittle. Like all varieties of Xerula, this representative has a white spore powder.
Description of the hat
The hat has the shape of a dome, which over time opens more and more outward and acquires the shape of a bowl. Differs in wide, thin, sparsely spaced plates. In adult specimens, the plates are clearly visible. The color is brown, on the back side it is light, almost white.
Leg description
The stem is thin, slightly tapering at the top, dark brown, contrasting with the light plates on the back of the cap. Grows vertically upward.
Is the mushroom edible or not
It belongs to conditionally edible, however, it has neither a bright taste nor a pronounced aroma, therefore it does not represent great culinary value.
Where and how it grows
It is a very rare species with a relatively short fruiting period. You can meet it in coniferous-deciduous forests, where it grows in groups right on the ground. The season starts in the second half of summer and lasts until the end of September.
Doubles and their differences
This mushroom can be confused with the edible long-legged xerula, which is also quite rare in forests and has a long, thin stem. You can distinguish them by the following features:
- the humble xerula grows on the ground, and its twin grows on stumps, branches and roots of trees;
- the cap of the xerula is of a modest larger diameter and is curved outward, and at the long-legged one its edges are directed downward, forming a dome.
Conclusion
The modest Kserula is little known to lovers of "quiet hunting". Although she does not have an outstanding taste, it is a great luck to find and identify her in the forest.
