Agaricus arvensis
| Horse mushroom | |
|---|---|
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| Agaricus arvensis | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Agaricaceae |
| Genus: | Agaricus |
| Species: | A. arvensis |
| Binomial name | |
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Agaricus arvensis Schaeff. |
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| Agaricus arvensis | |
|---|---|
| Mycological characteristics | |
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gills on hymenium |
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cap is convex |
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hymenium is free |
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stipe has a ring |
 
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spore print is brown to blackish-brown |
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ecology is saprotrophic |
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edibility: choice |
spore print is brown
Agaricus arvensis, commonly known as the horse mushroom, is a mushroom of the genus Agaricus.
It was described as Agaricus arvensis by Jacob Christian Schaeffer in 1762, and given numerous binomial descriptions since. Its generic name arvensis means 'of the field'.
The cap is similar to that of Agaricus campestris (the field mushroom). The gills are white at first (when this fungus is most often confused with deadly Amanita genus). They later pass through grey and brown to become dull chocolate. There is a large spreading ring, white above but sometimes with yellowish scales underneath. Viewed from below, on a closed-cap specimen, the twin-layered ring has a well-developed 'cogwheel' pattern around the stipe. This is the lower part of the double ring. The odor is described as like anise. It belongs to a group of Agaricus which tend to stain yellow on bruising.
It is one of the largest white Agaricus species in Britain (where it appears during the months of July-November), West Asia (Iran) and North America. Frequently found near stables, as well as in meadows, it may form fairy rings. The mushroom is often found growing with nettles (a plant that also likes nutrient-rich soil). It is sometimes found associated with spruce.
This mushroom is considered common and widespread, and is not a conservation concern.
Much prized by farmers for generations, the horse mushroom is regarded as one of the most delicious edible fungi, although the fruitbodies of this and other yellow-staining Agaricus species often have a build-up of heavy metals, such as cadmium and copper.
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Wikipedia