Content
Veined muskweed (Disciotis venosa) is a representative of the Morel family. The spring mushroom also has other names: discyotis or veined discina. Although the nutritional value of the mushroom is low, there are hobbyists who are ready to start a quiet hunt in early spring. Fruit bodies are suitable for frying, drying, and making soups.
Where does the veined saucer grow?
Veined mucus is a rare mushroom, it can be found in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. Russians can pick these mushrooms in early spring, at the same time that morels appear. Fruiting continues from the second half of May and ends in the first ten days of June.
Habitat: mixed, deciduous and coniferous forests. They are more common in beech and oak groves. Veined blueberry prefers damp floodplain areas, sandy, clay soils. Rarely grows alone, more often in small families.
It is best to look for saucers next to semi-free morels. More often they grow very close that when cut it seems as if they have a common mycelium. The preferred plant is butterbur. The fungus is classified as a saprotroph and settles on the remains of dead plants to obtain food for development.
What does the veined saucer look like?
Discina veinata is an interesting mushroom in appearance. Many people, when they see the saucer for the first time, admire the unusual shape or pass by because they do not believe that it is a mushroom.
The fruiting body is the cap or apothecium. The average size is about 10 cm, but there are specimens that grow more than 20 cm. The caps of young limpets resemble a kidney, the edges of which are turned inward. Gradually it becomes like a flat saucer. The surface of the cap is uneven, tortuous, the edges are gradually torn.
The inner part is represented by a thin spore layer. It is yellowish-white with small inclusions in the form of dots. The outside of the mushroom is gray-pink or brown, often purple. This surface of the saucer is covered with scales and veins that resemble human veins. Hence the name.
It is difficult to call the leg of the veined saucer that way, it is so reduced. The length of the short, thick, wrinkled part of the mushroom is from 0.2 to 1.5 cm. It is white in color, almost completely immersed in the soil.
The fruit body is represented by fragile gray or yellowish pulp. There is no mushroom taste, but the pungent smell of bleach can be felt from a distance.
The size of smooth spores is 19-25 or 12-15 microns. They have the shape of a wide ellipse, there are no fat drops.
Is it possible to eat veined limpet?
Disciotis veinus is a conditionally edible mushroom. This means that it is suitable for preparing various dishes. It is strictly not recommended to consume it raw, as it may cause intestinal problems.
The taste of the veined saucer is inexpressive, but lovers still collect and cook it. But the smell of bleach is very strong. It can be easily eliminated by boiling. The washed saucers are placed in a container with cold water and boiled for a quarter of an hour. After this, you can fry or dry it when the water has completely drained.
Similar species
Almost all mushrooms have counterparts that are somewhat similar in appearance. Veined limpet is no exception. Although it has no similar species based on its chlorine smell, so it won’t be possible to confuse it. But in terms of external features, it is somewhat similar to the common stitch or the thyroid distina.
Ordinary stitch
This is a toxic marsupial mushroom. It is not recommended to consume it raw and unprocessed, as it can cause poisoning. It's all about the toxin gyromitrin. It has a negative effect on the nervous system and liver. Nausea and vomiting are not so bad. In severe cases of poisoning, a person may fall into a coma.
Discina thyroid
The fruiting body of a young Discina thyroid is cup-shaped, the edges are curved inward. In mature specimens, the cap twists into a weak spiral.The color may vary: light or black-brown on top. The lower part of the fruiting body is lighter.
Collection and use
Veined saucers are rare mushrooms, and not every forest visitor will risk putting them in their basket. He has a very unattractive appearance. Discyotis is collected in Russia, but in European countries it is considered poisonous.
Veined saucers are very fragile, so they are folded carefully in one layer in a basket or cardboard box, the bottom is covered with grass. It is better not to add other mushrooms, otherwise it will turn out to be a mess.
Collection rules:
- For quiet hunting, dry weather is chosen, and you need to go into the forest early in the morning, before the sun has time to heat the fruiting bodies. Mushroom pickers know that fruiting is short-lived, only 2-2.5 weeks in May-June.
- For food use, young specimens with small saucer caps are taken. They have not yet had time to accumulate toxic substances.
- There is no need to pay attention to the veined limpets growing along the highway and railroad. They contain a lot of heavy metals.
Conclusion
Veined limpet contains various vitamins, minerals, and protein. After heat treatment, it can be safely eaten. Despite the benefits, the mushroom has some contraindications. Fruiting bodies are not recommended for consumption by people with gastrointestinal and kidney problems. They are strictly prohibited for women during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and young children.
Mushrooms are an excellent forage crop and a catalyst for alcoholic fermentation. These features of the veined limpet are still being studied.
