Lyophyllum decastes

Lyophyllum decastes, commonly known as the fried chicken mushroom,[1] or Chicken of the Road, is an edible species of fungus in the family Lyophyllaceae that grows in clusters on disturbed ground, often near man-made roads in gravel, with a faintly radish-like taste.[2]

Lyophyllum decastes
Lyophyllum decastes
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Fungi
Division:
Basidiomycota
Class:
Agaricomycetes
Order:
Agaricales
Family:
Lyophyllaceae
Genus:
Lyophyllum
Species:
L. decastes
Binomial name
Lyophyllum decastes
Synonyms
  • Agaricus decastes Fr. (1818)

Appearance

Gills are white but may yellow slightly with age. The firm flesh remains white on exposure.[2]

L. decastes similar in appearance to the toxic species Lyophyllum loricatum, Lyophyllum connatum, Clitocybe dilatata, and those of the Entoloma genus.[3]

Ecology

Growing in dense, even huge clusters on the ground, L. decastes is usually found where the ground has been disturbed such as roadbeds, gravel, paths, landscaping areas, and sometimes in woods.[2]

Range

Prolific in summer and fall until spring on the U.S. West Coast, it is widely distributed in North America.[2]

Edibility

This species is considered edible and good, but should be tried with caution due to some reports of gastric upset.[4]

References
  1. Phillips, Roger (2010). Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books. p. 56. ISBN 978-1-55407-651-2.
  2. Phyla and decastes description
  3. Meuninck, Jim (2017). Foraging Mushrooms Oregon: Finding, Identifying, and Preparing Edible Wild Mushrooms. Falcon Guides. p. 98. ISBN 978-1-4930-2669-2.
  4. Phillips, Roger (2010). Mushrooms and Other Fungi of North America. Buffalo, NY: Firefly Books. p. 56. ISBN 978-1-55407-651-2.

Further reading
  • Breitenbach, J. & Kränzlin, F. (1991). Fungi of Switzerland. Volume 3: Boletes and Agarics (1st Part). Strobilomycetaceae, Boletaceae, Paxillaceae, Gomphidiaceae, Hygrophoraceae, Tricholomataceae, Polyporaceae (lamellate). Verlag Mykologia: Luzern, Switzerland. p. 361.
  • Moncalvo, J.-M. , Rehner, S. A. & Vilgalys, R. (1993). "Systematics of Lyophyllum Section Difformia Based on Evidence from Culture Studies and Ribosomal DNA Sequences". Mycologia 85(5): 788–794.


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