Content
The white-legged lobe has a second name - Helvella white-legged. In Latin it is called Helvella spadicea. Included in the small genus Helwell, the Helwell family. The name “white-legged” is explained by an important feature of the mushroom: its stalk is always white. It doesn't change with age.
What do white-legged lobes look like?
The mushroom is a typical representative of the lobed mushrooms with a bizarrely shaped cap. It gives the fruiting bodies a resemblance to three-cornered hats, saddles, hearts, mouse faces and other objects and figures. Sometimes the caps are randomly twisted. They are small in size, but quite tall. Their diameter and height range from 3 to 7 cm.
The caps have 2-3 or more saddle-shaped petals of various shapes. Maximum quantity – 5.They resemble blades, hence the name of the genus. The lower edges of the petals are almost always smooth in young mushrooms and are attached to the stem. The upper surface of the cap is smooth, colored in brown shades, closer to dark brown or even black. Some specimens have spots of lighter shades. The lower surface is slightly fleecy, its color is white or light brown, beige.
The pulp is brittle, thin, grayish. Does not have a pronounced mushroom aroma or taste.
The length of the leg is from 4 to 12 cm, thickness – from 0.5 to 2 cm. It is smooth, classically cylindrical in shape, sometimes wider at the base, often flattened. The leg is not grooved or ribbed. It is hollow in cross section or has small holes near the base. The color is white, some specimens may have a slight brownish tint. Old mushrooms have a dirty stem, which makes them appear yellowed. The pulp in it is quite dense.
Helvella white-legged belongs to the section of marsupial fungi. Its spores are located in the “bag”, in the hearth body itself. Their surface is smooth. The color of the spore powder is white.
Where do white-legged lobes grow?
This species belongs to rare representatives of the Helwell family. Its distribution area is limited to Europe. In Russia it can be found from the western borders to the Urals.
Mushrooms can grow singly or in small groups. The most favorable conditions for them are sandy soils. Mushroom pickers most often find the white-legged lobster in coniferous or mixed forests, on the soil or in the grass.
The fruiting period begins in late spring, in May. Lasts until the end of September - mid-October.
Is it possible to eat white-footed lollipops?
There are no edible species among the representatives of the Helvella genus. White-legged lobster is no exception. There are different opinions about the possibility of its use as a food product. Some experts classify it as a group of conditionally edible mushrooms, while others classify it as inedible.
False doubles
The white-legged lobe has an external resemblance to other representatives of its genus. The main difference by which it can be recognized is the color of the leg. It always remains white.
One of the similar varieties is pitted Helvella, or Helvella sulcata. To identify this species, you should pay attention to the stem of the mushroom. It has a pronounced ribbed surface.
Another lookalike of Helvella spadicea is Helvella atra. Its distinctive feature, which helps distinguish the species, is the color of the stem. In Helvella atra it is dark gray or black.
Collection rules
It is not recommended to collect white-legged lobster or any similar varieties. Moreover, they have no nutritional value. You cannot collect and consume them in large quantities; even heat treatment in this case may not save you from poisoning. Therefore, experienced mushroom pickers advise playing it safe and not putting gelwells in the basket.
Use
There have been no recorded cases of poisoning by them in our country. However, there is evidence that there are victims in Europe from eating the white-footed loachweed.
If you still want to cook these mushrooms, then you need to remember that you cannot eat them raw. This causes poisoning.The lobes become edible only after prolonged heat treatment. They need to be boiled for at least 20-30 minutes. In the traditional cuisines of some peoples, Helwella, which has undergone the necessary processing, can be added to dishes.
Conclusion
Although some sources classify the white-legged lobster as conditionally edible, it is not recommended to risk your health and eat it. Moreover, in terms of taste it belongs only to the fourth category. Helwella can cause poisoning, the degree of which depends on the amount of mushrooms eaten.
