Omphalotus olivascens

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Omphalotus olivascens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Fungi
Subkingdom: Dikarya
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Subphylum: Agaricomycotina
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Marasmiaceae
Genus: Omphalotus
Species: O. olivascens
Binomial name
Omphalotus olivascens
H.E. Bigelow, O.K. Mill. & Thiers 1976
Omphalotus olivascens
View the Mycomorphbox template that generates the following list Mycological characteristics
gills on hymenium
cap is infundibuliform
hymenium is decurrent
stipe is bare
spore print is yellow
ecology is saprotrophic
edibility: poisonous

Omphalotus olivascens, commonly known as the western jack-o'-lantern mushroom, is an orange to brown-colored gilled mushroom native to California and Mexico. To an untrained eye, O. olivascens appears similar to some chanterelles, but unlike the chanterelle, the jack o'lantern mushroom is poisonous. While not lethal, consuming this mushroom leads to very severe cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea.[1]

Unlike chanterelles, the jack-o'-lantern mushroom has true gills (rather than ridges) and it can have olive coloration that chanterelles lack; also, Omphalotus species are saprotrophic, grow directly on wood, and are bioluminescent.[1]

A subspecies with blue flesh, O. olivascens var. indigo, was described growing on live oak in Baja California, Mexico.[2]

A recent molecular study shows the jack-o'-Lantern to be most closely related the Ghost Fungus Omphalotus nidiformis.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Michael Wood & Fred Stevens. "Omphalotus olivascens". California Fungi. Retrieved 2011-03-25. 
  2. ↑ Moreno, G.; Esteve-Raventós, F.; Pöder, R.; Ayala, N. (1993). "Omphalotus olivascens var. indigo, var.nov. from Baja California (Mexico)". Mycotaxon 48: 217–22. 
  3. ↑ Kirchmair M, Morandell S, Stolz D, Pöder R (2004) Phylogeny of the genus Omphalotus based on nuclear ribosomal DNA-sequences. Mycologia 96 1253-1260

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