(Oudemansiella radicata)
sculpture, acrylic paint
by "Wildman"
Note the shiny texture and central knob.
photo by "Wildman"
The broad white gills, distant from each other, are attached to the stalk.
Note the broad, white, widely spaced gills, some of which don't extend from the cap edge to the stalk.
Photo by "Wildman"
The spore print is white.
The mushroom has a unique stalk that makes it easy to identify. 2-8 inches long and 1/8 to 3/8 inches thick above ground, it also has a long, twisted, tapering brittle underground part that resembles a taproot, which breaks with an audible snap!
This root-like underground stem makes this mushrooms identification unmistakable.
Photo by "Wildman"
This decomposer grows on the ground in deciduous forests, especially around beech stumps, throughout eastern North America, and the Midwest.
This is the largest rooted oudemansiella I've ever seen.
Photo by "Wildman"
Large stands of this species, as seen here, are rare.
photo by "Wildman"
In America, mushroom hunters consider the cap (the stalk is too tough to eat) just edible, whereas in France, it's considered choice. I side with the French and consider it quite good, with a delicious delicate flavor (don't over season or drown it out with too many strong-flavored ingredients) and soft texture.
Unfortunately, I never seem to find more than 3 or 4 of these mushrooms at once, not enough for recipe experiments.
pen-and-ink drawing
by "Wildman"
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