deer mushroom

not listed

not listed

not listed

Pluteus granularis is a common, medium-sized (for a Pluteus), gilled mushroom. It occurs in the United States from New York State to Georgia, west to Minnesota and Louisiana, and in Washington State. It also occurs in Canada in southern Quebec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. It is found alone or scattered in summer and fall. It grows on decaying wood of both hardwoods and conifers. It obtains its nutrients from dead wood (saprobic).

The cap is 1¼″ to 2⅜″ (3 to 6 cm) in diameter. It is convex at first, flattening out and becoming broadly convex to almost flat when mature. The upper surface is yellow to brown, dry, and densely covered with dark brown granules. The margins are unlined. As the mushroom ages the granules gradually wash off and the cap sometimes becomes wrinkled or veined in the center.

The stalk is solid, 1½″ to 2¾″ (4 to 7 cm) long, and 1 ⁄16″ to 3 ⁄16″ (2 to 5 mm) thick. It is slightly swollen at the base but is otherwise equal from top to bottom. It is whitish or pale brown and is covered with dark brown granules, densely near the top, becoming stretched out and zoned toward the base.

The gills are broad and closely spaced. They are not attached to the stalk (free). They are white at first, turning pinkish 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. Its edibility is not known. Young mushrooms are firm and have a radish-like odor and slightly radish-like taste.

The spore print is pink.

Hardwoods and conifers

Summer and fall

Sources

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

Common

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Location: Hennepin County