Entoloma bloxamii
Encyclopedia
Entoloma bloxamii, commonly known as Bloxam's entoloma or the big blue pinkgill, is a mushroom in the Entolomataceae
family of fungi. It is widely distributed in Europe, although it is rare throughout its range, which also extends into Asia and North America.
and Broome in 1854, in honour of Andrew Bloxam
, it was given its current name by the Italian mycologist Pier Andrea Saccardo
in 1887. It was also known as E. madidum in the United States.
Entoloma bloxamii belongs to the large genus Entoloma, which contains around 1500 species worldwide. A 2009 study analysing DNA sequence
s and spore morphology
found it to lie in a prunuloides clade
with (among other species) E. gelatinosum and E. cretaceum, and most closely related to E. prunuloides. This rhodopolioid clade lay within a crown Entoloma clade. This group is typified by irregular spores with or without bumps.
Common names in the United Kingdom include "big blue pinkgill" and "Bloxam's entoloma". The British Mycological Society
has recommended phasing out the latter in favour of the former as the official name. It is known as the midnight blue entoloma in North America.
has a broad swelling in the centre (known as a boss or umbo
), which has a more violet tinge. The tightly packed, white gills on the underside of the cap contrast well with the blue colour of the fungus; they develop a more salmon-pink colour as they age. The solid stipe
of the mushroom is also blue in colour with a whitish base. The spore print
is pink to cinnamon-coloured.
although it may also be found in more acidic areas, and is threatened by the disturbance of its habitat caused by agricultural improvement. As of June 2003, it was a candidate species for listing in Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
(the "Bern Convention").
reports it as a well-flavoured edible in California.
Entolomataceae
The Entolomataceae, also known as Rhodophyllaceae are a large family of pink spored terrestrial gilled mushrooms which includes the genera Entoloma, Rhodocybe, and Clitopilus. The family collectively contains over 1500 species, the large majority of which are in Entoloma...
family of fungi. It is widely distributed in Europe, although it is rare throughout its range, which also extends into Asia and North America.
Taxonomy
First named Agaricus bloxami by Miles Joseph BerkeleyMiles Joseph Berkeley
Miles Joseph Berkeley was an English cryptogamist and clergyman, and one of the founders of the science of plant pathology....
and Broome in 1854, in honour of Andrew Bloxam
Andrew Bloxam
Andrew Bloxam was an English clergyman and naturalist; in his later life he had a particular interest in botany. He was the naturalist on board during its voyage around South America and the Pacific in 1824–26, where he collected mainly birds...
, it was given its current name by the Italian mycologist Pier Andrea Saccardo
Pier Andrea Saccardo
Pier Andrea Saccardo was an Italian botanist and mycologist.- Life :...
in 1887. It was also known as E. madidum in the United States.
Entoloma bloxamii belongs to the large genus Entoloma, which contains around 1500 species worldwide. A 2009 study analysing DNA sequence
DNA sequence
The sequence or primary structure of a nucleic acid is the composition of atoms that make up the nucleic acid and the chemical bonds that bond those atoms. Because nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are unbranched polymers, this specification is equivalent to specifying the sequence of...
s and spore morphology
Morphology (biology)
In biology, morphology is a branch of bioscience dealing with the study of the form and structure of organisms and their specific structural features....
found it to lie in a prunuloides clade
Clade
A clade is a group consisting of a species and all its descendants. In the terms of biological systematics, a clade is a single "branch" on the "tree of life". The idea that such a "natural group" of organisms should be grouped together and given a taxonomic name is central to biological...
with (among other species) E. gelatinosum and E. cretaceum, and most closely related to E. prunuloides. This rhodopolioid clade lay within a crown Entoloma clade. This group is typified by irregular spores with or without bumps.
Common names in the United Kingdom include "big blue pinkgill" and "Bloxam's entoloma". The British Mycological Society
British Mycological Society
The British Mycological Society is a learned society established in 1896 to promote the study of fungi.-Formation:The Society was formed based on the efforts of two local societies, the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club of Hereford and the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union. The curator of the Hereford...
has recommended phasing out the latter in favour of the former as the official name. It is known as the midnight blue entoloma in North America.
Description
The fungus produces a striking, blue, mushroom-shaped epigeous (aboveground) fruiting body (basidiocarp), between August and November. The smooth capPileus (mycology)
The pileus is the technical name for the cap, or cap-like part, of a basidiocarp or ascocarp that supports a spore-bearing surface, the hymenium. The hymenium may consist of lamellae, tubes, or teeth, on the underside of the pileus...
has a broad swelling in the centre (known as a boss or umbo
Umbo (mycology)
thumb|right|[[Cantharellula umbonata]] has an umbo.thumb|right|The cap of [[Psilocybe makarorae]] is acutely papillate.An umbo is a raised area in the center of a mushroom cap. Caps that possess this feature are called umbonate. Umbos that are sharply pointed are called acute, while those that are...
), which has a more violet tinge. The tightly packed, white gills on the underside of the cap contrast well with the blue colour of the fungus; they develop a more salmon-pink colour as they age. The solid stipe
Stipe (mycology)
thumb|150px|right|Diagram of a [[basidiomycete]] stipe with an [[annulus |annulus]] and [[volva |volva]]In mycology a stipe refers to the stem or stalk-like feature supporting the cap of a mushroom. Like all tissues of the mushroom other than the hymenium, the stipe is composed of sterile hyphal...
of the mushroom is also blue in colour with a whitish base. The spore print
Spore print
thumb|300px|right|Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print...
is pink to cinnamon-coloured.
Distribution and habitat
It is widely distributed in western Europe from Spain and the British Isles east to Poland and Ukraine, as well as Scandinavia in the north and Italy to the southeast, although it is rare throughout its range, which also extends into Asia and North America. It inhabits unimproved grasslands such as old meadows and hayfields. It is usually associated with calcareous soilsCalcareous grassland
Calcareous grassland is an ecosystem associated with thin basic soil, such as that on chalk and limestone downland. Plants on calcareous grassland are typically short and hardy, and include grasses and herbs such as clover...
although it may also be found in more acidic areas, and is threatened by the disturbance of its habitat caused by agricultural improvement. As of June 2003, it was a candidate species for listing in Appendix I of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats
The Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats 1979, also known as the Bern Convention , came into force on June 1, 1982....
(the "Bern Convention").
Edibility
It has a nondescript taste and smell. Its edibility in eastern North America is not known but many members of the genus are poisonous. David AroraDavid Arora
David Arora is an American mycologist, naturalist, and writer. He is the author of two popular books on mushroom identification, Mushrooms Demystified and All That the Rain Promises and More.......
reports it as a well-flavoured edible in California.