Top 20 Edible Mushrooms Popular in Porto-Vecchio

1. Parasol

Found in clearings and grassy areas in late summer, the wild parasol mushroom has a snakeskin-patterned stem. The brown spots on its cap make it look a bit shaggy, but that name is reserved for its poisonous counterpart, the Shaggy Parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes). You can distinguish the two by the stems: the latter has a smooth stem and red flesh inside.

2. King bolete

Extremely popular in many cuisines, this edible wild mushroom grows around the world near the roots of forest trees. In some regions, king bolete mushrooms are collected in great enough volumes that their sale can support entire families during the harvest season. King boletes are reported to be high in fiber, vitamins B and C, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and several antioxidants.

3. Meadow waxcap

The meadow waxcap is a medium-sized, salmon-colored species that can be found in temperate habitats around the world. The species has broad, thick gills and a relatively smooth (and not particularly waxy) cap.

4. Matt woodwax

5. Lanmaoa fragrans

6. Lurid bolete

Once considered a member of the Boletus genus, the lurid bolete is a mushroom that is best avoided. Inexperienced mushroom hunters could easily confuse it with the severely poisonous European species Satan's bolete (Rubroboletus satanas) or its North American cousin Rubroboletus eastwoodiae. When cut, the stem of this bolete goes dark blue. Its smell is a bit sour.

7. Saffron ringless amanita

The saffron ringless amanita displays a orange-hued head. This coloring and the lack of a veil around its cap have given the fungus its name, saffron ringless amanita. This mushroom can be found in European hardwood forests from summer to fall. It has a sweet scent and, depending on location, can grow either in small or large groups.

8. Dead man's foot

Dead man's foot (Pisolithus arhizus) actually bears a number of colorful names stemming from its unusual appearance, such as the horse dung fungus (Australia). It can be distilled into a viscous black gel, which is then used as a natural dye for clothing. It is considered to be inedible.

9. Dusky bolete

Dusky bolete (Porphyrellus porphyrosporus) may have a large cap, but its somewhat drab or dusky brown color makes it hard to spot on the forest floor. This mushroom typically grows under pines in low-elevation areas. It is known for its blue to blue-green staining reaction.

10. Sepia bolete

11. Oyster mushroom

Oyster mushrooms grow wild but are also cultivated for sale in supermarkets. They can even be cultivated at home. They will grow on coffee grounds and spent grain, and are occasionally even fashioned into an environmentally-friendly substitute for styrofoam. There are several toxic look-alike species, so it is best to buy these mushrooms at the store.

12. Giant leucopax

One of the best ways to identify giant leucopax is by the size of its large cap, which can spread to a diameter of 50 cm. Sometimes this mushroom grows in delightful fairy ring groups that form circles in fields and meadows, which are its favored habitats.

13. Clitocybe squamulosa

Clitocybe squamulosa shows up in conifer and mixed forests, but can also sometimes be found in open areas. It's not uncommon to see these mushrooms in snowbanks in the mountains. The specific name, squamulosa, references the scale-like structures that appear on the cap's center.

14. Salmon milkcap

Upon gazing upon the cap of the salmon milkcap, you might notice that the color resembles the shiny back of a salmon. This coloration inspired its scientific name, Lactarius salmonicolor. Just as it looks, the species name means "of the color of salmon." They sprout up predominately under the canopies of Fir trees.

15. Common stinkhorn

The common stinkhorn (Phallus impudicus) grows incredibly quickly, sometimes nearing 30 cm in a single afternoon. Their caps are pitted in a way which makes them reminiscent of morels. However, there's little mistaking the common stinkhorn for a morel; the former, in addition to sporting a much longer stalk, has a clear and pungent odor.

16. Parasol