Local Name
Shavchokha (1), Taguna (rach.) (2).
Description
Cap: The cap is 4–10 cm across, conical to bell-shaped, expanding with a broad umbo, light grey to grey-black covered in fine radiating innate streaks often with olivaceous or violaceous tints. Gills are attached to the stem or free, white then lemon-yellow. Stem: The stem is 7–14 cm long, 1–3 cm thick, more or less equal, cylindrical, white, often becoming flushed lemon-yellow, often hollow. Flesh: The flesh is white or whitish, with pale gray tinge, slightly yellowing on exposure, odor mealy. Spores: The spores are 4–6 X 3–5 µm, elliptical, colourless.
Habitat: On soils, with conifers, for the most part in pine forests. Season: Autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (3).
Uses
Edibility: Edible when young and fresh (1).
Racha — “We gather these mushrooms especially in autumn, in a quite large amount, sometimes even when it snows, then we pickle them and store them for the winter” (2). Tetritskaro — “We call them Natsara, very good mushrooms” (4).
References
- Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
- Sharabidze, D. (2014) Vlg. Uravi, Ambrolauri.
- Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).
- Kavtaradze, T. (2015) Manglisi.