Meadow Mushrooms are one
of the most common wild mushrooms
that people eat. They are usually white, but can also be
brownish.
The cap
of this mushroom is between one and four inches wide. It is
dry to the touch.
The stalk
of the Meadow Mushroom is one to two inches long, and about
1/2 inch thick.
The gills
(feathery things underneath the cap) are pink. They become
brown as the mushroom gets older.
Copyright, Clive
Shirley
Meadow Mushrooms grow in grassy
areas, such as fields and lawns.
Like all mushrooms, the part that
you see is only a part of the fungus.
The main part of the fungus is a network of tiny thread-like parts
called mycelium.
The part that you see, with a stalk and cap is a lot like the flower
on a plant. Its purpose is to produce spores
(like seeds) so that new mushrooms can grow.
The mushrooms "bloom" from August
to September. You usually see them after a rain.
Even though this is an
edible
mushroom, eaten by many people, do not eat it if you find it. Many
mushrooms look a lot alike. Some are poisonous,
and they might look just like a Meadow Mushroom. Check with an expert
if you want to eat it.
This mushroom is a
decomposer.
That means that it uses dead plant matter
(grasses) as food.
Some animals that eat them include
Eastern Box Turtles, Leopard Slugs, and Eastern Gray
Squirrels.
Many people eat these
mushrooms. They are closely related to button mushrooms, the ones you
buy at the grocery store. Do not eat these if you find them!
Check with an expert first, to make sure it is a Meadow Mushroom, and
not a poisonous mushroom that looks like one.
Meadow Mushrooms are
helpful as decomposers. They use dead plant matter as food. People
and other animals will eat the mushrooms and pass on the
nutrients.
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