Hebeloma aminophilum
Encyclopedia
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Hebeloma aminophilum, commonly known as the ghoul fungus, is a species of mushroom
in the Hymenogastraceae
family. Found in Western Australia
, it gets its common name from the propensity of the fruiting bodies to spring out of decomposing animal remains. Its edibility is unknown.
in 1987. The generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek
Hebe, "youth", and -loma, a fringe (pertaining to the fungal veil
), referring to how the fungal veil is only seen in immature specimens. It gets its common name of ghoul fungus from its habit of growing around animal carcasses.
is 3 centimetre in diameter, convex initially before flattening out with age. There is a slight boss, and the cap margin is inrolled when young. A thin white veil rapidly disappears in young mushrooms. The cap surface is sticky initially. The adnate (or sometimes adnexed) gills are pale pink to pinkish brown and up to 1 cm deep. With age, they can be encrusted with clumps of spores. The cylindrical stipe is 6.5 centimetre high, 1 centimetre in diameter and has a thickened base and lacks a ring. The thick flesh is cream or pale yellow, with a bitter taste and a stale smell. The spore print
is pinkish brown, and the oval spores measure 8.5 x 4.9 μm. The mycelium
is white.
Similar species include the introduced poisonpie (Hebeloma crustuliniforme
), which has been recorded in pine plantations, the native western Australian poisonpie (H. westraliense), which does not grow near carcasses, and the Australian white webcap (Cortinarius austroalbidus), which is paler and smells of curry
.
woodland in the vicinity of sheep, reptile and bird carcasses. The habit of growing from flesh gives it the term sarcophilous.
Hebeloma aminophilum, commonly known as the ghoul fungus, is a species of mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
in the Hymenogastraceae
Hymenogastraceae
The Hymenogastraceae is a family of fungi in the Agaricales.The blue-staining members of the genus Psilocybe form a clade that is sister to Galerina in the Hymenogastraceae; however, they have not yet been formally transferred....
family. Found in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, it gets its common name from the propensity of the fruiting bodies to spring out of decomposing animal remains. Its edibility is unknown.
Taxonomy
The ghoul fungus was first described by mycologists R.N. Hilton and Orson K. Miller, Jr.Orson K. Miller, Jr.
Orson Knapp Miller, Jr., born December 19, 1930, died June 9, 2006, is an American mycologist. He has published numerous papers in mycology and is responsible for the naming of many taxa, as well as being one of the authors erecting the genus Chroogomphus:...
in 1987. The generic name is derived from the Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
Hebe, "youth", and -loma, a fringe (pertaining to the fungal veil
Veil (botany)
A veil, in mycology, is one of several structures in fungi, especially the thin membrane that covers the cap and stalk of an immature mushroom.Veils may be regarded as falling into two categories:*Partial veil*Universal veil...
), referring to how the fungal veil is only seen in immature specimens. It gets its common name of ghoul fungus from its habit of growing around animal carcasses.
Description
The dull pinkish brown or cream 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...
is 3 centimetre in diameter, convex initially before flattening out with age. There is a slight boss, and the cap margin is inrolled when young. A thin white veil rapidly disappears in young mushrooms. The cap surface is sticky initially. The adnate (or sometimes adnexed) gills are pale pink to pinkish brown and up to 1 cm deep. With age, they can be encrusted with clumps of spores. The cylindrical stipe is 6.5 centimetre high, 1 centimetre in diameter and has a thickened base and lacks a ring. The thick flesh is cream or pale yellow, with a bitter taste and a stale smell. 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 pinkish brown, and the oval spores measure 8.5 x 4.9 μm. The mycelium
Mycelium
thumb|right|Fungal myceliaMycelium is the vegetative part of a fungus, consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae. The mass of hyphae is sometimes called shiro, especially within the fairy ring fungi. Fungal colonies composed of mycelia are found in soil and on or within many other...
is white.
Similar species include the introduced poisonpie (Hebeloma crustuliniforme
Hebeloma crustuliniforme
Hebeloma crustuliniforme, commonly known as poison pie or fairy cakes, is a gilled mushroom of the genus Hebeloma found in Europe and North America, and has been introduced into Australia. Its specific name derives from the Latin crustulum or little biscuit...
), which has been recorded in pine plantations, the native western Australian poisonpie (H. westraliense), which does not grow near carcasses, and the Australian white webcap (Cortinarius austroalbidus), which is paler and smells of curry
Curry
Curry is a generic description used throughout Western culture to describe a variety of dishes from Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Sri Lankan, Thai or other Southeast Asian cuisines...
.
Distribution and habitat
An uncommon fungus, Hebeloma aminophilum is found in southern Western Australia, southeastern South Australia and Victoria. Fruiting bodies arise in eucalyptusEucalyptus
Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia...
woodland in the vicinity of sheep, reptile and bird carcasses. The habit of growing from flesh gives it the term sarcophilous.