Agaricus campestris
| Field mushroom Meadow mushroom (USA) | ||||||||||||||||||
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 Agaricus campestris | ||||||||||||||||||
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Secure | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Agaricus campestris (L. 1753) |
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Agaricus campestris, commonly known as the Field mushroom or, in North America, Meadow mushroom, is a widely eaten gilled mushroom closely related to the button mushroom. Its specific epithet campestris is derived from the Latin campus "field".
The cap is white, though may have fine scales and is 5-10 cm in diameter; it is first hemispherical in shape before flattening out with maturity. The gills are initially pink, then red-brown and finally a dark brown, as is the spore print. The 3-7 cm tall stipe bears a single thin ring.[1] The taste is mild. The white flesh bruises slightly reddish; as opposed to yellow in the inedible (and somewhat toxic) Agaricus xanthodermus.
Commonly found in fields and grassy areas after rain from late summer onwards worldwide, it is widely collected and eaten, even by those who would not normally experiment with mushrooming. This mushroom is not commercially cultivated on account of its fast maturing and short shelf-life.[2]
Culinary uses of the meadow mushroom include sauteed or fried, in sauces, or even sliced raw and used in salads. In flavor and texture, this mushroom is almost completely identical to the white button mushrooms available in grocery stores in the United States. Be sure to rinse well to dislodge any sand, and also watch out for small, white larvae which tunnel through the stems and caps.
References
- Nilsson, Sven & Persson, Olle (1977). Fungi of Northern Europe 2: Gill-Fungi. Penguin, New York. ISBN 0-14-063-006-6.
- Grigson, Jane (1975). The Mushroom Feast. London: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-046-273-2.
External links
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Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia; from the article "Agaricus campestris". Image Credit.
