Page 230 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Fairy Ring Mushroom, Marasmius

oreades (MARASMIACEAE)

Strobilomyces, CC-BY-SA-3.0

FAIRY RING MUSHROOM grows in grassy soils in- EDIBLE PARTS: cap
cluding lawns, fields, and golf courses. Fruiting from KEY MEDICINAL USES: This species has shown some
spring to fall, it appears in troops or in full to par- evidence of anticancer and antibiofilm activities. Fur-
tial fairy rings. Between fruiting periods, it will often ther study is needed.
leave behind a telltale pattern: fringes of dark green
HOW TO EAT: This tasty mushroom is protein-rich
grass encircling browner regions. This mushroom is
and wonderfully versatile. Dried mushrooms have
widely distributed.
the enchanting ability to revive when soaked in water.
CAP: The cap is 0.4-2.4 inches (1-6cm) across. Starting Discard the tough stems.
out bell-shaped with an incurved margin, it becomes
FAIRY QUESADILLAS: Ingredients: 1 lb. (0.5 kg)
convex or nearly flat, sometimes with a flared margin,
mushrooms (sliced), oil, 1 clove garlic (minced), scal-
and often keeping its central hump. Light tan to pale
lions (sliced), 1½ cups grated cheddar, tortillas. In a
brown or reddish-brown in color, its bald and nor-
skillet, sauté mushrooms. Add garlic, scallions. Cook
mally dry surface may become subtly lined near the
until tender. Spoon mushrooms and cheese onto torti-
margin. Its tough whitish flesh is pleasantly scented.
lla and fold over. On a clean skillet, cook on both sides
GILLS: The gills are never decurrent. They may be ei- until cheese melts.
ther free, narrowly attached to the stem, or broadly at-
POISONOUS LOOK-ALIKES: Clitocybe dealbata - of-
tached. They are well-spaced with a white or buff hue.
ten grows in circles with Fairy Ring Mushroom; gills
STEM: The tough, wiry stem is 0.8- 3 inches (2-8cm) crowded, thin, adnate to decurrent; cap flat to convex,
long with a width of 0.6- 2.4 inches (1.5-6cm). Colored
not umbonate; Galerina spp. - brown spore prints;
like the cap or pallid, it is equal and smooth to felty. Cortinarius spp. - rusty-brown spore prints; Inocy-
SPORES: 7-10 x 4-6 µ, teardrop to pip-shaped, smooth, be spp. - brown spore prints; Gymnopus luxurians
not amyloid; Spore print: white - reddish-brown to pinkish-brown cap; close gills.

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