Pluteus

taxobox
name = "Pluteus"
color = lightblue


image_width = 240px
image_caption = "Pluteus leoninus"
regnum = Fungus
divisio = Basidiomycota
classis= Basidiomycetes
ordo = Agaricales
familia = Pluteaceae
genus = "Pluteus"
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision ="Pluteus cervinus"
"Pluteus salicinus"
"Pluteus leoninus"
...mycomorphbox
name = Pluteus
whichGills = free
capShape = flat
capShape2 = convex
hymeniumType=gills
stipeCharacter=bare
ecologicalType=saprotrophic
sporePrintColor=pink
howEdible=edible
howEdible2=inedible
howEdible3=psychoactive

"Pluteus" is a large genus of mushroom with over 100 species. They are wood rotting saprobes with pink spore prints and gills that are free from the stem. .

Characteristics of the genus [Meinhard Moser, translated by Simon Plant: "Keys to Agarics and Boleti" (Roger Phillips 1983) ISBN 0-9508486-0-3] [Courtecuisse, R. & Duhem, B. (1994) "Guide des champignons de France et d'Europe" Delachaux et Niestlé ISBN 2-603-00953-2, also available in English]

#These fungi grow on wood or wood remains.
#The spore powder is deep pink, soon giving a pink tint to the initially pale gills.
#The gills are free from the stipe.
#There is no volva or ring (exception: the rare recently reclassified North American species "P. mammillatus", previously "Chamaeota sphaerospora"). [ [http://www.plantbiology.siu.edu/Faculty/nickrent/NickrentPDFs/Minnis2006.pdf A. M. Minnis, W. J. Sundberg et al., "Annulate "Pluteus" species, a study of the genus "Chamaeota" in the United States", MYCOTAXON Vol. 96 pp. 31-39, April-June 2006] ]
#Microscopically, they often have abundant, distinctive cystidia. The spores are smooth and roughly egg-shaped.

"Pluteus" is separated from "Volvariella" due to the lack of a volva, and from "Entoloma" by growing on wood and by microscopic features ("Entolomas" have angular spores).

Remarks on particular species

Some of these mushrooms are edible including and "P. cervinus", though most people rate their taste and consistency as average at best.

"Pluteus cervinus" is the best known species in Europe and North America.

Several species of this genus bruise blue and contain psilocybin [ [http://www.museocivico.rovereto.tn.it/UploadDocs/104_art09-Guzman%20&%20C.pdf G. Guzmán, J. W. Allen & J. Gartz, "A Worldwide Geographical Distribution of the Neurotropic Fungi, an Analysis and Discussion"] ] including "Pluteus washingtonensis", "Pluteus salicinus", "Pluteus cyanopus", "Pluteus glaucus", "Pluteus nigriviridis", and "Pluteus villosus". [ [http://www.svims.ca/ff0608.pdf Fungifama site] ]

References

* [http://www.mushroomexpert.com/pluteus.html M. Kuo "The Genus Pluteus"]
* [http://www.museocivico.rovereto.tn.it/UploadDocs/104_art09-Guzman%20&%20C.pdf G. Guzmán, J. W. Allen & J. Gartz, "A Worldwide Geographical Distribution of the Neurotropic Fungi, an Analysis and Discussion"]