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The red trellis or red clathrus is a mushroom that has an unusual shape. You can meet it in the southern regions of Russia throughout the entire season, subject to favorable conditions. The mushroom grows singly and in groups. The official name is Clathrus ruber.
Description of the red trellis mushroom
The red trellis belongs to the Veselkov family and to the group of gasteromycetes or nutren. Distantly related to raincoats. Its main difference from other species is that the spores ripen inside the fruiting body under the cover of a dense shell. As it grows, it collapses, and underneath it appears a fruiting body made of an unusual latticework network with irregularly shaped cells, without a stem.Their number varies from 8 to 12 pieces. Most often the fruiting body is red, but in some cases there are specimens of a whitish and yellowish hue.
On the reverse side, the connecting bridges are covered with greenish-olive spore-bearing mucus, which emits a concentrated smell of rotting flesh. This helps the fungus attract the attention of insects, with the help of which it spreads to surrounding areas. An unpleasant odor is emitted only by those specimens whose spores have fully matured. Their specific aroma spreads 15 meters around.
The spores of the red trellis are ellipsoidal, smooth, colorless, and thin-walled. Their size reaches 4-6 x 2-3 microns.
The pulp has a loose consistency, soft, spongy. It is easily destroyed even with slight physical impact.
Where do red trellises grow?
The red trellis prefers to grow under broad-leaved trees, around which the soil is rich in humus. Also a favorable environment for its germination is a wet litter of fallen leaves and rotting remains of wood. In exceptional cases, this species can grow in mixed forests.
The red trellis belongs to the category of heat-loving mushrooms, so it is able to survive only in those regions where the temperature does not drop below -5 degrees, regardless of the time of year. Therefore, the red trellis can be found in the Krasnodar region, the Caucasus and Crimea, mainly in those places where there is little illumination during the daytime. If the temperature drops below a critical level, the mycelium of the fungus dies.
Outside of Russia, the red trellis is found in European countries with favorable climatic conditions. Its distribution area is also North America, North Africa and the Mediterranean region.
There have also been cases of fungus germination in greenhouse conditions, when its spores were introduced along with the soil. This is how this species came to Siberia, to the city of Gorno-Altaisk. The red trellis mainly grows in single specimens, but under conditions of high humidity and air temperatures above +25 degrees, germination of group plantings is possible.
Fruiting continues from spring to autumn. In this case, the fungus germinates only in the presence of favorable conditions.
What red grilles look like
As can be seen in the photo, the red trellis mushroom has a spherical or ovoid body in the shape of a lattice, which is why it received its name. But it acquires this appearance as it matures.
At the initial stage of development, the fruiting body of the lattice has a dense red shape with small black inclusions, which is located in an ovoid shell of a light shade. Its height is 5-10 cm, and its width is about 5 cm.
As it grows, the outer shell breaks and under it you can see several independent red petals, which are attached to one base. As they develop, they bend toward the ground and become rounded, forming a mesh ball consisting of individual cells connected to each other.The bridges are covered with an indented jagged fringe of a dense structure, and its shade does not differ from the color of the fruiting body.
The height of an adult mushroom varies between 10-12 cm, and the width is about 8 cm. In the form of a formed lattice, it can be stored for 120 days.
Edibility of red latticeworts
The red lattice mushroom belongs to the category of inedible mushrooms, so it cannot be eaten as it is dangerous to health. But it is unlikely that anyone will be seduced by such an unusual appearance of the mushroom that they would want to try it. And combined with the unpleasant smell of carrion that it exudes, this only increases the desire to avoid it.
However, if this species is discovered, it is strictly forbidden to pick it due to its small number. Therefore, if you accidentally encounter him, you must inform the environmental agency.
In addition, the red color of the mushroom signals danger, so even without knowing whether the edible latticework is red or not, this is an alarming sign.
How to distinguish red latticeworts
The unusual appearance of the red grille will not leave anyone indifferent. Therefore, it is impossible to confuse it with other mushrooms. In addition, there are a number of differences that significantly distinguish it from other species.
Characteristic features:
- ovoid light shell;
- red tint of the fruiting body;
- irregular cell shape;
- unpleasant putrid odor during ripening;
- absence of a leg;
- jagged fringe along the edge of the bridges.
Conclusion
The red trellis is a rare species of mushroom that is on the verge of extinction. It is of interest only to specialists in order to study its properties.Therefore, when you find it in the forest, it is worth remembering that it is protected by law and is a unique creation of nature, so you should not pick it out of simple curiosity.
