Stubble Rosegill

Habitat

This saprophytic species thrives on nutrient-rich or disturbed ground including agricultural land, bare stubble fields, gardens, and road verges. It is frequently found on organic debris such as compost heaps, manure, rotting straw, wood chips, and lignin-rich mulch. It may grow solitarily, in clusters, or in large troops, often appearing in urban landscaped areas or on grass.

Photos

Appearance

Cap

5–15 cm wide; initially egg-shaped, becoming convex to flat, often with a low central bump; colors range from white to gray-brown, often darkest at the center and sometimes radially streaked with dark fibrils; surface is notably viscid or sticky when moist, becoming shiny when dry.

Gills

Crowded and free from the stem; initially white or creamy, turning a distinct salmon-pink to tan-pink as the spores mature.

Stem

5–20 cm long, 1–4 cm thick; white to creamy, becoming dingy tan with age; lacks a ring; tapers upward from a club-shaped base.

Volva

A large, bag-like, membranous structure enclosing the base of the stem; white to grayish, it can be fragile and may become less distinct as the mushroom ages.

Flesh

White or marbled with gray; moderately thick and firm when young, becoming soft with age.

Spore print

Salmon-pink to pinkish tan.

Odor

Variable, described as earthy, radish-like, or resembling bean sprouts.

Taste

Mild, sometimes reported as radish-like.

Edibility

Extreme caution is required to avoid confusing this mushroom with the deadly Amanita phalloides (Death Cap). Key differences include the pink spore print and lacks of a stem ring in this species, whereas toxic Amanitas have white spores and usually possess a ring. This mushroom is often described as having soft flesh and a flavor or aroma reminiscent of radish, bean sprouts, or mild earthy mustiness. It is reported to be better when collected young, and foragers should be aware that it may grow in areas treated with pesticides or pollutants.

Nutrient Source

It obtains nutrients by decomposing dead organic matter in soil, such as decaying plant material.

Common Names

Basque

kosko-ziza lingirdatsu, kosko-ziza lingirdatsua

Danish

Høj posesvamp

Dutch

Gewone beurszwam

English

Stubble Rosegill

Finnish

tarhatuppisieni

French

Volvaire gluante

German

Großer Scheidling

Norwegian Bokmål

kompostsliresopp

Norwegian Nynorsk

kompostsliresopp

Spanish

gurumelo, volvaria vistosa

Swedish

vanlig slidskivling, vit slidskivling

Welsh

Tagell Rosliw Ben Gludiog

Synonyms

• Agaricus gloiocephalus
• Agaricus gloiocephalus
• Agaricus pubescens
• Agaricus speciosus
• Amanita speciosa
• Pluteus speciosus
• Volvaria gloiocephala
• Volvaria pubescens
• Volvaria speciosa
• Volvaria speciosa
• Volvariella gloiocephala — Stubble Rosegill
• Volvariella gloiocephala
• Volvariella speciosa
• Volvariopsis gloiocephala
• Volvariopsis speciosa