| Leucoagaricus leucothites | |
|---|---|
| | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Agaricaceae |
| Genus: | Leucoagaricus |
| Species: | L. leucothites |
| Binomial name | |
| Leucoagaricus leucothites (Vittad.) Wasser (1977) | |
| Synonyms | |
| Leucoagaricus leucothites | |
|---|---|
| Gills on hymenium | |
| Cap is convex or flat | |
| Hymenium is free | |
| Stipe has a ring | |
| Spore print is white | |
| Ecology is saprotrophic | |
| Edibility is unknown | |
Leucoagaricus leucothites, commonly known as the smooth parasol, woman on motorcycle, [2] ma'am on motorcycle, [3] white dapperling, or white agaricus mushroom, is a species of agaric fungus found in disturbed areas.
The species was originally described as Agaricus leucothites by Carlo Vittadini in 1835, and bears similarity to species of that genus. [4] Solomon Wasser transferred it to Leucoagaricus in 1977. [5]
The mushroom's cap is 4 to 15 centimetres (1+1⁄2 to 6 in) wide, [6] is granular, white or gray-brown in color then sometimes grayish or pinkish. [4] The flesh may bruise yellowish and the gills reddish. [4] The stipe is 5 to 12 cm long, commonly with a wide base, and bruising yellow or brown. [6] A ring is usually present. [4] The spores are white, smooth, and elliptical. [6] They produce a white spore print. [7]
It could be confused for Agaricus species as well as the deadly Amanita ocreata . [2] [6]
Leucoagaricus leucothites can be generally found in disturbed, grassy areas such as gardens and parks, and sometimes in forests. [4] [7] It has a worldwide distribution with most occurrences in Europe and North America. [8]
While sometimes regarded as edible, [6] the species is suspected of being poisonous due to gastric-upset-causing toxins. [9] It could also be confused with a deadly Amanita. [2] [6]