Local Name
Lurjana (1).
Description
Cap: The cap is 4–14 cm, convex, becoming broadly convex, nearly flat, or slightly bell-shaped, dry, densely hairy, becoming fuzzy or scaly, deep purple, becoming brownish purple and eventually dark brown. Gills are attached to the stem, nearly distant, dark purple at first, becoming grayish to blackish, and eventually rusty brown. Stem: The stem is 3–9 cm tall, 1–2 cm thick, equal above a swollen or club-shaped base, dry, purple and finely hairy when young, becoming purplish gray to nearly black or brown. Flesh: The flesh is purple to lilac or purplish gray, odor not distinctive. Spores: The spores are 11–13 X 6.5–9 µm, elliptical, almond-shaped, with warts, brownish red, with rusty-purplish tinge.
Habitat: On soils, in mixed, coniferous and leafy forests. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: Abkhazeti, Svaneti, Javakheti (2).
Uses
Edibility: Edible when young and fresh (1).
Kakheti — “We don’t gather Lurjana mushroom, but in Telavi or in nearby areas — locals gather these mushrooms” (3).
References
- Nakhutsrishvili, I.G. (2007) Fungi of Georgia. Tbilisi: Buneba Printi.
- Nakhutsrishvili, I.G., et al. (1986) Flora of Spore-producing Plants of Georgia (Summary). Tbilisi: Metsniereba (Russian).
- Batsilashvili, B. (2015) Kvareli.