Cauliflower mushroom

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iCauliflower mushroom
Sparassis crispa
Sparassis crispa
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Hymenomycotina
Order: Polyporales
Family: Sparassidaceae
Genus: Sparassis
Species: S. crispa
Binomial name
Sparassis crispa
(Wulfen) Fr.


Cauliflower mushroom
mycological characteristics:
 
ridges on hymenium
 

no distinct cap

 

hymenium attachment is not applicable

 

lacks a stipe

 

ecology is parasitic

 

edibility: choice


Cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis crispa) is an edible mushroom characterised by its unique look and its massive size, with reported cases of fruit bodies on more than half a meter tall and 14 kg in weight, although it's normally 10 to 25 cm tall. Its look can be described as crossover between sea sponges and cauliflowers, from which it has been given its popular name. Its color can range from light brown-yellow to yellow-grey or white. Because of its unique look and size, it's nearly impossible to mistake it for any poisonous/inedible mushrooms. It generally grows on old Scots pine tree roots or tree stumps, with which it has a parasitic relationship. It can be found during autumn and late summer in North America and Europe. Because of the special requirements it needs to grow, it's quite rare in some countries but can be fairly common in others, depending on the ecological surroundings.

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[edit] External links

The Mushroomexpert's article on cauliflower mushroom