Local Name
Martio (1).
Description
Cap: The cap is 1–5 cm across, convex, becoming flat and sometimes uplifted, often with a central depression, the margin smooth and even or lined to grooved, bald to finely hairy, orangish brown, fading to buff, color often changing markedly as it dries out. Gills are attached to the stem, or beginning to run down it, distant or close, pinkish flesh color, sometimes developing a faint purplish cast. Stem: The stem is 3–10 cm tall, 0.3–1 cm thick, equal or tapering to base, smooth to finely hairy, occasionally longitudinally grooved, colored like the cap. Flesh: The flesh is thin, colored like the cap. Spores: The spores are 7 X 10 µm, subglobose to globose, with warts, colourless.
Habitat: On soils, in mixed, leafy and coniferous forests, often in damp places. Season: Summer, autumn.
Distribution: All regions of Georgia (2).
Uses
Edibility: Edible when young and fresh (1).
Note: There is also another, violet form of Mart’io (var. amethystina). Some specialists consider that this form of mushroom is an independent species.
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).