Content
Wood silverfish or leukofoliote is a conditionally edible representative of the mushroom kingdom. Prefers to grow in deciduous forests in the Central and Northern regions of Russia. It can be used in cooking, as cooked mushrooms have a pleasant taste and aroma.
What does wood silverfish look like?
Wood silverfish is an unusually beautiful species.The cap and stem are bright golden in color, and in the open sun the mushroom seems to glow from within, attracting attention. Acquaintance with woody leukofoliote must begin with a description.
Description of the cap
The cap of young mushrooms has a hemispherical shape, which straightens and becomes flat with age. The dry, 9-centimeter golden surface is matte, strewn with numerous pointed scales. The bottom is covered with wide light lemon plates and a dense film, which descends over time, forming a golden ring.
Description of the leg
The 9 cm slightly curved cylindrical leg is hollow, fibrous, and colored to match the color of the cap. The snow-white pulp is dense, with a pronounced mushroom smell; the color does not change when cut.
Is the silverfish mushroom edible or not?
Leukofoliote wood is an edible representative of the mushroom kingdom, so it can be used for preparing culinary dishes. Because of their pleasant smell and sweet taste, mushrooms can be fried, boiled, stewed, or frozen. Small species look beautiful when marinated and salted.
Where and how does Leukofoliote wood grow?
Wood silverfish is an endangered variety listed in the Red Book. Therefore, when going on a mushroom hunt, you need to remember this.
This rare species prefers deciduous, mixed forests, birch forests and mountain ranges. In the Central and Northern regions, golden mushrooms can be found on stumps, trunks of broad-leaved trees and on their rhizomes.
Doubles and their differences
Wood leukopholiote, like other species, has its counterparts. These include:
- Beautiful – grows in temperate climates on broad-leaved trees. It can be distinguished by its loose whitish plates, which are partially fused with the stalk. Belongs to group 4 of edibility. Before use and for further preparation, the variety must be boiled in salted water for half an hour.
- Common scalyfoot – common in deciduous and coniferous forests. Grows on stumps, tree trunks and their rhizomes. Varietal differences: a wide light cream cap with numerous scales and a long thin leg, colored to match the cap. The variety is edible; small specimens make beautiful and tasty fried, stewed and pickled dishes.
- Cystoderma – a conditionally edible variety, but I don’t use it in cooking. Because it has poor taste and an unpleasant pungent odor. The hemispherical hat and long leg are colored red or light brown. The bottom of the cap is covered with wide yellowish plates; there is no ring on the stem.
Conclusion
Wood silverfish or leukofoliote wood is a conditionally edible species listed in the Red Book. It grows in Siberia, the Urals, and the Far East on the trunks of deciduous trees. It is impossible to pass by this variety, since it is painted golden and in the open sun it begins to glow from the inside. Despite its rapid disappearance, mushroom pickers use it in cooking, fried, stewed and pickled.
