Sparassis crispa

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Sparassis crispa
Grote sponszwam (Sparassis crispa). 09-11-2023. (d.j.b).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Polyporales
Family: Sparassidaceae
Genus: Sparassis
Species:
S. crispa
Binomial name
Sparassis crispa
(Wulfen) Fr. (1821)
Synonyms
  • Clavaria crispaWulfen (1781)
  • Sparassis radicataWeir 1917
Sparassis crispa
Information icon.svg
Smooth icon.pngSmooth hymenium
No cap icon.svgNo distinct cap
NA cap icon.svg Hymenium attachment is irregular or not applicable
NA cap icon.svgBare stipe icon.svgLacks a stipe or is bare
Transparent spore print icon.svg
Transparent spore print icon.svg
Spore print is white to cream
Saprotrophic fungus.svgEcology is saprotrophic
Mycomorphbox Choice.pngEdibility is choice

Sparassis crispa is a species of fungus in the family Sparassidaceae. It is sometimes called cauliflower fungus. [1]

Contents

Description

S. crispa grows in an entangled globe that is up to 60 centimetres (24 inches) in diameter. The lobes, which carry the spore-bearing surface, are flat and wavy, resembling lasagna noodles, coloured white to creamy yellow. When young they are tough and rubbery but later they become soft. They are monomitic. [2] The odour is pleasant and the taste of the flesh mild.

The spore print is cream, the smooth oval spores measuring about 5–7 μm by 3.5–5 μm. [3] [2] The flesh contains clamp connections. [4]

Similar species

The less well-known S. brevipes, found in Europe, can be distinguished by its less crinkled, zoned folds and lack of clamp connections. [4] [2]

Distribution and habitat

This species is fairly common in Great Britain and temperate Europe (but not in the boreal zone). It is a brown rot fungus, found growing at the base of conifer trunks, often pines, but also spruce, cedar, larch and others. [4] [2]

In the North American Pacific Northwest, it can be found from August to November. [5]

Uses

It is considered a good edible fungus when young and fresh, [3] though it is difficult to clean. (A toothbrush and running water are recommended.) One French cookbook, which gives four recipes for this species, says that grubs and pine needles can get caught up in holes in the jumbled mass of flesh. The Sparassis should be blanched in boiling water for 2–3 minutes before being added to the rest of the dish. [6] [1] It should be cooked slowly. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 Roger Phillips (1998). Mushrooms and other fungi of Great Britain & Europe. Cavaye Place, London SW10 9PG: Pan Books. p. 255.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  2. 1 2 3 4 Læssøe, H.; Petersen, Jens (2019). Fungi of Temperate Europe. Princeton University Press. p. 954. ISBN   978-0-691-18037-3.
  3. 1 2 Marcel Bon (1987). The Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain and North-western Europe. 7 Bond Street, St. Helier, Jersey: Domino Books Ltd. p. 308. ISBN   978-0-340-39935-4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. 1 2 3 Geoffrey Kibby (2017). Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain & Europe Vol. 1. Geoffrey Kibby. p. 82. ISBN   978-0-9572094-2-8.
  5. "Seasonal Chart for Edible Mushrooms". Central Oregon Mushroom Club. Retrieved 2024-03-31.
  6. Frédéric Jaunault; Jean-Luc Brillet (1981). Toutes les bases de la cuisine aux champignons (in French). 13 rue du Breil, Rennes, France: Editions Ouest-France. p. 183. ISBN   2-7373-2275-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
  7. Miller Jr., Orson K.; Miller, Hope H. (2006). North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi. Guilford, CN: FalconGuides. p. 438. ISBN   978-0-7627-3109-1.