Wednesday 23 November 2011

A Delicate Parasol

As we were driving up the hill from Chambon we did the usual screech-to-a-halt and reverse as Tim spotted something in the ditch beside the road. As well as some tennis-ball sized orange puffballs, there was a solitary parasol mushroom [Lepiota procera] Coulemelle, Lépiote élevée, with the most delicate lacy top and a coating of minute droplets glittering in the late afternoon sun. I was allowed to look after this precious jewel on the way home, and observed how stiff the stem was (not edible, unlike the parasol itself). The liquid on the top of the parasol was not, as Tim had first thought, dew, but some form of slightly sticky mucilage - not a slug trail, although there was slight damage to the top, probably caused by a slug.

Parasol Mushroom [PK74339]
Like a Christmas tree ornament
After photographing the mushroom, it was broken up and deposited in various locations on our property, along with some blewits and a shaggy ink-cap, in the hope that they may establish themselves to form the basis of further photographs, not to mention meals.

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