Content
Sawfoil goblet is a conditionally edible mushroom of the Polyporaceae family. It is rarely found on rotten deciduous trunks or exists as a parasite, affecting the tree with white rot.In order not to make mistakes when collecting and not to recruit false brothers, you need to carefully study the description, photos and videos.
What does goblet saw leaf look like?
Sawtooth goblet is a little-known mushroom, so it has few fans. But since it has a good taste and mushroom aroma, you need to be able to distinguish them by their external characteristics.
Description of the cap
In young specimens the cap is hemispherical, as it grows it straightens and becomes funnel-shaped, the edges are ribbed and fragile. The surface, up to 25 cm in diameter, is dry, colored gray-red. With age, the skin becomes discolored, leaving a dark spot in the center.
The lower layer is formed by narrow jagged plates descending along the stalk. The color of the plates changes with age, initially they are whitish, then they become coffee-colored, and in old age they turn dark brown. Reproduction occurs by hemispherical spores, which are collected in snow-white powder. The pulp is dense, elastic, exudes a fruity aroma.
Description of the leg
The thick and fleshy leg, tapering towards the base, grows up to 6 cm. The flesh is hard, the light cream surface is covered with plates.
Where and how does it grow
This forest dweller prefers rotten deciduous wood. The species can also grow on a living tree, causing white rot. The mushroom is rare and loves warm climates. Fruiting occurs from June to September. Since the pulp has a pleasant taste and smell, it is loved by rodents, so the mushroom rarely survives to old age.
Is the mushroom edible or not?
The goblet saw leaf belongs to the 4th group of edibility, but because of the hard pulp, only young specimens are used for food.Before preparing the dishes, the harvested crop is sorted, cleaned of wood and leafy substrate and boiled for half an hour. Prepared mushrooms can be fried, stewed, or used as a filling for pies.
Doubles and their differences
The goblet sawfoil, like any inhabitant of the forest, has twins:
- brindle - conditionally edible species. Grows on rotten deciduous trees from June to September. It can be recognized by its funnel-shaped cap of a dirty gray color with numerous brown scales and by its whitish dense stem. The pulp is dense, aromatic, and when mechanically damaged it turns red.
- Scaly - an edible specimen that grows on the stumps of coniferous trees. Grows in small families from June to September. Since the species has a hard fruiting body, only young specimens are suitable for cooking.
Conclusion
Sawfoil goblet is a conditionally edible representative of the mushroom kingdom. It prefers rotting wood and begins to bear fruit from June to September. The caps of young mushrooms are used in cooking, so in order not to make a mistake when picking mushrooms, you need to carefully study the description of this species.
