Local Name
Mertskhala sok’o (Gvelis sok’o) (1), Gvelisok’o (gar. kakh.) (2), Gvelis zok’o (mtiu.) (3), Gvelisok’o (rach.) (4).
Description
Cap: The cap is 4–14 cm, oval to rounded-cylindrical when young, expanding to bell-shaped with a lifting margin, in age turning to black “ink”, dry, whitish with a brownish center, with large, shaggy scales, margin lined at maturity. Gills are free from the stem, white, becoming pinkish, then black, turning to black “ink”, very crowded. Stem: The stem is 5–15 cm tall, 1–2 cm thick, cylindrical, frequently tapering to apex, smooth, white, easily separable from cap, hollow, with a string-like strand of fibers hanging inside. Flesh: The flesh is soft, white or whitish. Spores: The spores are 8.5–12.5 X 6.5–9 µm, elliptic, smooth, black.
Habitat: On soils, on lawns, fields, meadows, pasturelands and grassy areas. Season: All year.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (5).
Uses
Edibility: Edible when young and fresh (1).
Mtiuleti — “This mushroom is with blackish flesh, thin stem and whitish cap, we don’t eat them” (3), Racha — “This mushroom is poisonous, with blackish flesh” (4).
References
- Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
- Makashvili, A. (1991) Botanical Dictionary. Tbilisi: Metsniereba.
- Shanidze, A. (1984) Georgian mountain dialects. Collected Works in Twelve Volumes. Vol. I. Academy of Sciences of the Georgian SSR. Tbilisi State University. Tbilisi: Metsniereba.
- Kobakhidze, A. (1987) Dictionary of the Rachan Dialect. Tbilisi: Metsniereba.
- Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).