Entoloma prunuloides
Description
Entoloma prunuloides belongs to a species complex (Morgado et al. 2013) of at least three closely related species (E. prunuloides s. str., E. pseudoprunuloides, and E. ochreoprunuloides). According to present knowledge, there are no extra-European records of E. prunuloides that are confirmed by DNA sequence analyses. Therefore, all records of this species outside of Europe should be treated as doubtful until confirmed by molecular and morphological methods.
It has a white to ochre-brown cap with a mealy odor and taste. It is widespread in Europe and grows in mountain meadows, less often in lowlands.
Common names: Mealy Pinkgill, Molenaarssatijnzwam (Netherlands), Závojenka mechovkovitá (Czech Republic), Melrødspore (Norway), Mehl-Rötling (Austria), Kalvasrusokas (Finland).
Mushroom Identification
Cap
2 to 7cm across; initially convex becoming plane with an umbo; not hygrophanous; color varying from white through cream to ochre-brown; surface smooth or innately radially fibrillose but not striate.
Gills
Fairly distant, adnate to emarginate; whitish at first, maturing pink.
Stem
3 to 12cm long and 0.5 to 2.2cm diameter, smooth, cylindrical; white, bruising yellowish red; no stem ring.
Spores
Isodiametric, thin-walled; 6.5-8 x 6.5-8μm.
Spore Print
Brownish pink.
Odor and Taste
Mealy (farinaceous) odor and taste.
Habitat & Ecological Role
Saprobic in unimproved sheep-grazed grassland.
Season
Fruiting from late summer to late autumn.
Similar Species
Entoloma griseocyaneum has a scaly cap and much larger spores.
History
In 1821 Elias Magnus Fries described this species in his Systema Mycologicum he gave it the scientific (binomial) name Agaricus prunuloides.
In 1872 the French Mycologist Lucien Quélet transferred this species to its present genus, whereupon its scientific name became Entoloma prunuloides.
The generic name Entoloma comes from ancient Greek words entos, meaning inner, and lóma, meaning a fringe or a hem. It is a reference to the inrolled margins of many of the mushrooms in this genus.
The specific epithet prunuloides means 'similar to prunulus', which in turn is nothing to do with prunes but simply means pruinose - frosted as if covered in a fine white powder.
Synonyms
Agaricus prunuloides Fr. 1821 (basionym)
Rhodophyllus prunuloides (Fr.) Quél., 1886
Entoloma inocybiforme Bon, 1980
Entoloma inopiliforme Bon., 1982
Entoloma autumnale Velen., 1939
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: zaca (CC BY-SA 3.0)