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The annular cap is the only representative of the genus Rosites, the Arachnidaceae family, growing in Europe. The edible mushroom is found in the forests of mountainous and foothill areas. The fruit body has a good taste and smell, and is versatile in processing. The mushroom has several names: Rosites dull, white marshweed. Among the people in each locality, the species has its own name: chicken, swamp, turk.
What do ring caps look like?
The mushroom got its name from the appearance of the fruiting body. The upper part resembles a dome; on the leg there is a ring from the place where the bedspread is attached.
The ringed cap is an unattractive mushroom; if the species is not known, it is mistaken for a toadstool. Occurs infrequently.
The external characteristics of the ringed cap are as follows:
- At the time of formation of the fruiting body, the cap is ovoid, the edges are concave, connected to the stem by a veil. The surface is purple in color and has a slight waxy coating.
- As it grows, the veil breaks, leaving torn fragments of various shapes, the cap opens, becoming prostrate.The surface becomes smooth; with low air humidity, wrinkles appear in the central part, and the edges crack. The upper part is covered with a cobweb-like, fibrous film.
- The color of adult specimens is yellow, ocher or light brown. The cap grows up to 10 cm in diameter.
- The plates are sparsely spaced, with large, sagging edges with blunt teeth. At the beginning of growth it is white, with time it becomes dark yellow.
- Spore powder is dark brown.
- The pulp is loose, light yellow, soft, watery with good taste and a pleasant mushroom smell.
- The leg is cylindrical, tapering towards the top. The structure is fibrous, hard in adult specimens. The stem is solid, up to 10-15 cm long. Near the cap there is a tight-fitting ring with the remains of a veil; the surface of 1/3 of the mycelium is covered with small flakes. The color is uniform, the same as the bottom of the cap.
The annular cap contains a high concentration of protein and tastes like poultry; in European restaurants the mushroom is served as a delicacy.
Where do ringed caps grow?
The main distribution area of the annular caps is mountain forests. In foothill areas located at least 2500 m above sea level, mushrooms are found in mixed forests. Ringed caps can only exist in symbiosis with tree species. Most often these are coniferous trees, less often - deciduous trees: beech, low-growing birch, oak. In Russia, the main distribution of the ringed cap is noted in the Western and Central parts.
The species begins to form fruiting bodies in mid-summer after heavy rainfall. The collection is completed around the second ten days of October. Mushrooms grow mostly solitary.They are found on moss or leaf cushions, in the shade of perennial trees or in blueberry thickets. For the biological development of annular caps, high humidity and acidic soil are required.
Is it possible to eat ringed caps?
The annular cap belongs to the third category of edible mushrooms. The taste of the fruit body is pronounced, the smell is spicy, well defined. There are no toxins in the composition, so mushrooms do not require additional processing before use. Old specimens have hard flesh and are not used for culinary purposes.
Taste qualities of the ringed cap mushroom
The ringed cap is not inferior in taste to champignon, which has high nutritional value. After cooking, the pulp of the fruiting body resembles chicken; this feature is reflected in the popular name - “chicken”. After cooking, the product does not lose its spicy smell. The ringed cap is tasty with any processing method.
False doubles
Looks like a ringed cap cobweb white-violet.
This is a conditionally edible species with low gastronomic quality. It is distinguished by the bluish color of adult specimens; young mushrooms are very similar in appearance. The double is missing a ring on the fruit stem.
Foot-shaped vole – an inedible mushroom of a smaller size, with a fragile structure of the fruiting body.
It can grow in a bunch, which is not typical for Rosites dull. The leg is thin, elongated, without a ring, covered with a light coating. The surface of the cap is sticky and dark yellow. The pulp is brittle, flabby, with an unpleasant powdery odor.
Polevik - a tough mushroom that does not have toxins in its chemical composition, but with a repulsive, pungent odor that remains after processing.
The double is not used for culinary purposes. It is distinguished by the presence of a cobweb veil along the edge of the cap and the absence of a ring on the stem.
Patouillard fiberglass - a deadly poisonous mushroom.
At first glance, the species are similar; upon closer examination, the poisonous twin has a number of differences from the annular cap:
- the presence of a reddish tint on the fruiting body;
- the cut site immediately turns dark burgundy;
- the leg has longitudinal small grooves;
- the ring is missing;
- the plates are covered with a white coating in the form of fluff.
The differences in all twins are individual; they are united by a single feature - the absence of a dense ring.
Collection rules
Regarding the annular cap, the main rule when collecting is: do not confuse it with similar poisonous counterparts. It is better to carry out the first collection under the supervision of experienced mushroom pickers who know the species well. Particular attention is paid to the moss litter near pine and spruce trees. In a mixed forest, mushrooms grow in the shade, on damp, rotten leaves under low-growing birch trees, less often oaks. Do not harvest in environmentally problematic areas, near industrial enterprises.
Use
Mushroom caps are suitable for any processing recipe. The fruiting bodies are washed well, the stem is cut off at the base; no preliminary boiling or soaking is required. Rosites dullus is used to prepare any dishes that include mushrooms. Fruit bodies are ideal for pickling and pickling. Ringed caps are tasty in pickled and dried form.
Conclusion
The cap is an edible species with thick, aromatic flesh.Universal in processing, suitable for any type of winter harvesting. Grows from mid-summer to October near coniferous and deciduous trees. It has poisonous counterparts that are similar in appearance.
