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Reddening lepiota

Leucoagaricus americanus

A species of Leucoagaricus

Found in woodland settings across North America, the reddening lepiota gets its name from one of its unusual qualities. When bruised, cut, or otherwise damaged, the flesh slowly turns red (most other mushrooms species turn blue or black).

Cap Diameter:

3 - 12 cm

Odor:

Mildly mushroomy but not distinctive.

General Info About Reddening lepiota

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Attributes of Reddening lepiota

Cap Diameter

3 - 12 cm

Height

7 - 13 cm

Cap

Cap 3 - 12 cm across; roundish, convex or nearly flat; whitish, pinkish brown; with a bald center

Cap Shape

Convex, Flat, Central Bump

Cap Surfaces

Fibrillose-scaly

Gills

Free from the stem; close or crowded; creamy white; staining pinkish and eventually reddish brown

Gill Attachment

Free

Stem

Stem 4.5 - 12 cm long, 1 - 4 cm thick; distinctively swollen in the bottom half; whitish, reddish, brown

Stem Shapes

Club Shaped

Stem Surfaces

Fibrillose

Stem Cross Sections

Hollow or cottony hollow

Flesh

Thick; white throughout, in age drying reddish; staining slowly yellow to orangish yellow when sliced

Ring

High, collarlike, collapsing; white becomes stained reddish

Ring

With Ring

Spore Print Color

White

Odor

Mildly mushroomy but not distinctive.

Body Color

Brown

Red

White

Pink

Flesh Bruises

Discolor to yellowish

Growth Form

Scattered, Gregarious

Nutrient Gathering

Saprophytic

Substrate

Wood Chips or Mulch, On soil

You can find Reddening lepiota by these plants:

Occurence Habitats

Disturbed Lands

Species Status

Common in eastern North America

Endangered Species

How to Identify Reddening lepiota

Fruiting Body Cap Flesh

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Habitat of Reddening lepiota

The reddening lepiota appears in wasted areas, on disturbed ground, in landscaping areas, tree removal sites, and rarely in woods. It prefers rich soil and it grows on wood chips, sawdust, and compost piles, near old stumps or deadwood.

Scientific Classification of Reddening lepiota

Phylum

Club fungi

Class

Mushroom-forming fungi

Order

Gilled fungi

Family

Agaricaceae

Genus

Leucoagaricus

Similar Species to Reddening lepiota

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Tips for Finding Reddening lepiota

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What are the Ideal Soil Conditions for Reddening lepiota

Prefers nutrient-rich, lignin-containing soils or substrates.

What are Some Tips for Finding Reddening lepiota

Search in urban or suburban landscaping sites that utilize woodchips as ground cover.
Inspect disturbed soils, such as construction sites or waste areas, as these can be fruitful hunting grounds for reddening lepiota.
Check around tree stumps and areas with deadwood, as these substrates may support the growth of reddening lepiota.
Look for reddening lepiota in places where the ground has been recently watered as moisture can encourage their emergence.
While reddening lepiota can occasionally be found in forested areas, focus primarily on the edges of such habitats where wood debris accumulates.