Deer Mushroom

not listed

NNR - Unranked

not listed

Deer Mushroom is a medium-sized, nondescript, woodland mushroom. It occurs in Europe, Japan, southern Australia, the United States, Mexico, and southern Canada. In the United States it is common east of the Great Plains, uncommon on the West Coast, and mostly absent in between. It is common in Minnesota. It is found in the spring and again in the fall, alone or in groups, in deciduous and mixed forests and woodlands. It grows on decaying logs and tree stumps of hardwoods, occasionally also of conifers. It sometimes grows on the ground on underground tree roots or on soil high in lignin. It is similar in appearance to Patrician Deer Mushroom (Pluteus petasatus), a common wood chip species. Deer Mushroom will grow on sawdust and wood waste piles in woodlands but is not found on wood chips in urban areas. It gets its nutrients from decaying wood (saprobic).

The cap is 1¾″ to 4″ (4.5 to 10 cm) in diameter. It is convex at first, flattening out and becoming broadly convex to flat when mature. Older caps sometimes have a raised knob or bump in the middle (umbonate). The upper surface is hairless, smooth, and dry, but slightly sticky when wet. It is dark or pale brown in the center and often paler toward the margins. The margin is straight and unlined or only faintly lined (striate).

The stalk is 2″ to 5″ (5 to 13 cm) long and 3 ⁄16″ to ⅝″ (5 to 15 mm) thick. It may be straight or slightly broader at the base. It is usually covered with fine, grayish or brownish fibers (fibrils). Sometimes it is white and bald.

The gills are broad, closely spaced or crowded, and not attached to the stalk (free). They are white at first, turning pinkish then eventually flesh-colored with age. Between the primary gills there are short, secondary gills originating at the margin.

The flesh is soft and white. It does not change color when cut. It is edible. Young mushrooms are firm and have a radish-like odor and slightly radish-like taste. Mature mushrooms may be limp or waterlogged and not suitable for collecting.

The spore print is pink.

Deciduous and mixed forests and woodlands

Spring and fall

Sources

4, 7, 24, 26, 29, 30, 77.

Common

Recent research suggests that Pluteus cervinus is actually a group of closely related species that can be distinguished only by looking at the spores under a microscope.

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Location: Hennepin County

Location: Cass County

Location: Cass County