Top 20 Edible Mushrooms Popular in Mejorada del Campo

Growing wild in the northern hemisphere and introduced to Australia, the saffron milk cap is found in pine forests during autumn. As the name implies, these mushrooms have been harvested for cooking for a long time. They have been known to cause stomach upset in some individuals, however, and carry a risk of being contaminated with heavy metals, so forage with caution.

Bloody milk cap (Lactarius sanguifluus) has a distinctive appearance with its pale exterior but a deep blood-red interior, for which it is named. This mushroom can be found in pine forests where it grows in a mycorrhizal relationship with the trees. Bloody milk cap is known to accumulate large quantities of toxic heavy metals.

The king oyster mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii) is an edible mushroom widely prized for its flavor, which can be compared to scallops. It can be found wild in the warmer temperate zones of the world, and is also cultivated, growing on straw, for commercial use. The particular way in which this species decomposes plant matter may also have industrial applications.

The sordid blewit is a beautiful and attractive mushroom of the northern temperate zones around the world. The flesh is pink or purple when young, and it turns brownish as the mushroom matures. It forms so-called fairy rings. Although the sordid blewit is easily identified, inexperienced mushroom hunters can confuse it for certain Clitocybe species.

Ramaria gracilis fruit bodies (basidiocarps), which are made up of a dense cluster of branches, measure up to 8 centimetres (3.1 in) in height and 4 centimetres (1.6 in) in width. The individual branches, which have fairly thin bases, are typically forked and sometimes entangled with one another. In colour, the basidiocarps vary from a pale brown to white to pink-beige. The smell of anise can be used to distinguish the species from the otherwise similar Ramariopsis kunzei and Clavulina cristata. R. gracilis produces spores which measure from 5 to 7 by 3 to 4.5 micrometres (µm). The spores are elliptic with small warts which can be thin enough to look like spines. They vary in colour from yellow to brown. The cylindrical to club-shaped basidia measure from 25 to 45 by 5 to 7 µm. The hyphae are from 2 to 10 µm thick.

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.

Rosso coral fungus's coral cap and short, white base makes it easy to distinguish from other species. It is often found either growing alone or in groups under conifers and hardwood trees. Its resemblance to coral also gives the mushroom its common name, "coral fungus."

These puffy mushrooms grow in small groups on the forest floor. Once they're mature, common puffballs turn yellow and "puff out" smoke-like spore clouds when disturbed. Be very careful when identifying these mushrooms, as their young, immature form looks very similar to the lethal Deathcap.

The honey fungus is a parasitic fungus that grows on the roots of many woody and perennial plants, damaging and possibly killing its host. It spreads underground and is considered to be the most damaging fungal disease in gardens across the UK. The appearance of the mushrooms above-ground heralds a much more extensive infection below.

This attractive mushroom grows around the world in open woodlands and parks, especially near conifers. The prince has a scent reminiscent of bitter almonds. Its firm, thick caps grow quite large, but often become quickly infested by maggots. Allergic reactions have been reported to this mushroom so it is best treated as a "look, but do not touch" species.