Local Name
Kharispashva, Irmist’ucha (kartl.) (1).
Description
Fruitbodies: The fruitbodies are variable in size and shape, commonly 5–14 cm high but often larger, comprising a stalk and fertile upper part or cap, hollow. Cap: The cap is rounded, 2–7 cm broad by 2–10 cm tall, subglobose to ovoid, or sometimes more elongated and occasionally conical, ‘honeycomb-like’, comprising irregular fertile pits separated by a network of narrow sterile ridges or ribs, grayish to pale yellow-brown, delimited from the stem by a shallow furrow. Stem: The stem is well-developed, 3–7 cm long by 2–3 cm thick, stout, whitish to cream, sometimes enlarged towards the base, and the surface is often somewhat furrowed and bearing fine scurfy scales especially towards the apex. Flesh: The flesh is brittle, waxlike, whitish, odorless, with pleasant taste. Spores: The spores are formed in asci lining the pits. The asci are 200–350 X 15–20 µm, cylindrical and hyaline. The spores are ellipsoidal, smooth, thin-walled, translucent and measure 18–24 X 10–12 µm.
Habitat: On soils, in open places, from April to June. Usually found in light leafy forests, orchards, yards, gardens and sometimes in mixed coniferous forests.
Distribution: Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kakheti, Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Shida Kartli, Kvemo Kartli, Tbilisi (3).
Uses
Edibility: Considered one of the best of the edible fungi, usually when fresh, edible only when cooked (must be boiled first in the water for at least 15-20 minutes, broth is unusable).
Kakheti — “Usually occurs in springtime, rare to find but tasty” (4). Kartli — “Irmistucha occurs in springtime, it’s tasty and appetizing but quite rare fungi” (5).
References
- Makashvili, A. (1991) Botanical Dictionary. Tbilisi: Metsniereba.
- 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).
- Chaduneli, Z. (2015) Vlg. Gurgeniani, Lagodekhi.
- Dzaganashvili, M. (2014) Vlg. Arashenda, Saguramo.