Possible Agaricus campestris?

[moldylogic]

Found this the other day, growing both in tight clusters, and alone. Middle of a field. Well, a picture is worth a thousand words.. so Ill post a few of em.

Recent weather attached in a text file, for i had problems formatting it decently for the forum. Should be viewed in a standard text editor with word-wrap turned off.

Spore print is what i would call chocolate brown. Smell is quit pleasing, light n 'mushroomy'.

[Lazlo]

Yes, that's it.

[dial8]

Most definitely. Those pink gills will turn a chocolate brown with age and spore maturity. Beautiful mushroom!

[max]

Beats me why people don't mention where in the world they find their specimens, it can make a big difference! Those caps look a little too brown for A. campestris, they are usually more of a pure white with maybe some brownish fibrils. Other candidates are A. cuprreobrunneus, the Brown Field mushroom or even A. californicus, a midly poisonous lookalike aka the Fools Agaricus. The nice smell is a good sign that it's an edible Agaricus. I would never eat a mushroom ID'ed by pic alone. We can't smell it, can't see if or how it might stain, we don't even know where it originates!

[Lazlo]

A. californicus' veil has 2 ridges, while A. campestris' is smooth. I've never heard or read about the other species you're posting about Max. Is it an Agaricus?

[Lazlo]

A. californicus

http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/photos/Ag...us(mgw-02).jpg

[Nabby]

The Meadow Mushroom (Agaricus Campestris) is recognized by its grassland habit, short stature, stark, white cap, fragile, evanescent ring, pointed stipe base, and lack of staining reactions. Agaricus californicus and A. xanthodermus are similar, also occur in grass, often more commonly, but are distinguished by their phenolic odor, yellowing when bruised (rapid in A. xanthodermus, faint and slow in A. californicus), different veil and stipe. A third grassland Agaricus, Agaricus arvensis (Horse Mushroom), bruises yellow slowly, has a sweet anise odor, a well developed veil with buff-colored patches on the lower surface, and a usually enlarged, not narrowed stipe base. Finally, Leucoagaricus naucinus, with which the Meadow Mushroom sometimes fruits, is a close look-alike, but can be distinguished by its white gills and spores.

Agaricus californicus is frequently confused with its somewhat larger cousin A. xanthodermus. Both species have caps with brownish discs and pale margins although Agaricus xanthodermus may be entirely white if developing in deep shade. They are best told apart by odor and bruising reactions. Agaricus californicus has a faint, usually barely discernable phenolic odor while fresh specimens of A. xanthodermus usually have a pronounced phenolic odor. Additionally, fresh mataerial of A. xanthodermus bruise bright yellow on the cap margin and stipe base, while in A. californicus the yellow-bruising is faint, if at all. Agaricus californicus can be separated from other Agaricus species that may have a brownish disc, e.g. A. bisporus by its annulus with a thickened "double-lipped" margin.

Agaricus Cupreo-Brunneus modest-sized Agaricus is characterized by a brown, appressed, squamulose cap, inconspicuous ring, and a preference for fruiting in disturbed areas, i.e. overgrazed pastures, impoverished lawns and roadsides. Agaricus campestris, with which it sometimes fruits, can be distinguished by a nearly white, smooth (except in dry weather) cap, and even more evanescent ring. Several other Agaricus species with brown, scaly caps occur in our area, but all are either considerably larger, bruise yellow or red, have distinctive odors (phenol or anise), or occur in forest habitats.

[moldylogic]

Originally Posted by captainmax

Beats me why people don't mention where in the world they find their specimens, it can make a big difference! Those caps look a little too brown for A. campestris, they are usually more of a pure white with maybe some brownish fibrils. Other candidates are A. cuprreobrunneus, the Brown Field mushroom or even A. californicus, a midly poisonous lookalike aka the Fools Agaricus. The nice smell is a good sign that it's an edible Agaricus. I would never eat a mushroom ID'ed by pic alone. We can't smell it, can't see if or how it might stain, we don't even know where it originates!

Your all too right captain, I failed to disclose where I found it, however I thought the recent weather would be a little more relevant then the hardiness zone alone. Dont get me wrong, I'd never eat a mushroom ID'ed by picture alone. Even with somewhat of a visual confirmation, I still make sure I myself am 100% sure I know what it is, or at least that theres no possible poisonous look alikes. A sincere thank you for pointing this out to me.

This was found Eastern U.S. Hardiness Zone 6b - 7a.

No bruising at all, and most definitely fragile. Thank you all for the information.