Content
The superb cobweb is a conditionally edible representative of the Cobweb family. The mushroom is rarely seen and is listed in the Red Book. To replenish the population of the species, when you find a specimen, you must pass by or carefully cut it off, trying not to damage the mycelium.
Description of the superb spider web
Getting acquainted with the superb webweed must begin with a description of its external characteristics. The mushroom has a coffee mucous surface, and the spore layer is covered by a thin web. In order not to confuse it with inedible specimens, you need to look at photos and videos.
The mushroom is listed in the Red Book
Description of the cap
The cap, 15-20 cm in diameter, has a convex shape; as it matures, it straightens and by full maturity becomes depressed with wrinkled edges. The color of young specimens is purple, then changes to red, and at the end of maturation it becomes brown. The surface is velvety, matte, and in wet weather is covered with a mucous layer.
The lower layer is formed by notched-fused plates. Depending on age, they are colored gray or dark coffee. In young representatives, the plates are covered with a thin, light, cobweb-like film; as they grow, it breaks through and descends onto the leg in the form of a skirt.
Reproduction occurs through oblong, large spores, which are located in a rusty-brown powder.
The pulp is dense, fleshy, with a pleasant taste and smell
Description of the leg
The dense stem reaches a height of up to 15 cm. The surface is covered with snow-white-lilac skin; with age it becomes light chocolate. The snow-white-bluish pulp is dense, fleshy, and upon contact with alkali it turns dark red. When cut, a pleasant mushroom aroma is detected.
The mushroom is found only in the Bashkir forests
Where and how does it grow
The spider web is an excellent rare guest of deciduous forests. Due to the decline in population, it was listed in the Red Book. In Russia it can only be found in the forests of Bashkiria. This species forms a mycelium next to the beech. It grows in large families and bears fruit from May to mid-October.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The superb cobweb belongs to group 4 of edibility. Due to its pleasant mushroom taste, it is widely used for preparing a variety of dishes. It can be fried, boiled, stewed. But salted and pickled mushrooms are considered the most delicious. It is also dried.Dried mushrooms are stored in paper or linen bags in a dark, dry place.
Doubles and their differences
The superb cobweb, like any forest dweller, has similar brothers. These include:
- Watery blue – has a hemispherical cap of light sky color. The surface is glossy, slimy. The leg is dense, bluish-violet in color, closer to the base the color changes to ocher-yellow. The flesh is gray-blue. Despite the bland taste and unpleasant aroma, this representative of the mushroom kingdom belongs to the edible category. They live in large families in the deciduous forests of the Primorsky Territory.
The mushroom is edible, used as food in salted and pickled form.
- Terpsichore's web spider – has a deep purple cap with radial streaks. In mature specimens, the color becomes red-yellow. The leg is dense, fleshy, without taste or smell. The species is classified as inedible. It grows in deciduous forests and is rare.
Due to the lack of taste and smell, the mushroom is not used in cooking.
Conclusion
The superb cobweb is a conditionally edible red book mushroom. Grows in mixed forests from May to mid-autumn. Because of its pleasant aroma and good mushroom taste, it is used for preparing winter preserves. In order not to confuse this representative with inedible species, you need to know the external description and look at the photo.
