Mushrooms: Pluteus and allies

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About Mushrooms: Pluteus and allies

This group is for images of fungi of the family Pluteaceae, genera Pluteus, Volvariella, Volvopluteus, as well as Chamaeota (which has now been merged with Pluteus).

Pluteus is a large, common genus of mostly wood-inhabiting fungi. The most well-known of them is probably the Deer Mushroom, Pluteus cervinus, a rather "average"-looking edible mushroom with brown cap, pinkish gills, and whitish stem; its shape is pretty typical for most species of the genus: fungi of this shape are often said to have a "pluteoid habit".

however, Pluteus species are very different in colors, size, and surface textures - they can be tiny as a matchstick or very large, smooth, silky, or grainy, brown, black, tan, orange, brilliant yellow, gray or anywhere in between.

Some are common and easily recognizable while other are rare and overlooked, especially the smaller terrestrial species (such as P. cyanopus).

Pluteus is a wonderful genus for a beginning microscopy enthusiast. Plutei have easily recognizable, highly variable and distinct microstructures which make microscopic identification exceptionally interesting and rewarding. The group icon is a photo of a cross-section of the cap of Pluteus leoninus, the Lion Shield mushroom. The flame-like elements with bright-yellow pigment give its surface a soft, velvety look. I'll try to add more microphotographs as I "dissect" my herbarium, and naturally your own microphotographs of Pluteus are more than welcome! :)

At the moment I'm trying to study the morphological variability of Pluteus cervinus and closely related species. The deer mushroom is in fact so common and recognizable that it traditionally receives a smaller share of attention than it deserves. There are probably several species hiding under that name. For that reason it would be especially great to see photos of the Deer Mushroom here as they would illustrate the different "faces" of that species.