Purple-gilled Laccaria

(Laccaria ochropurpurea)

Conservation Status
Purple-gilled Laccaria
Photo by Kirk Nelson
  IUCN Red List

not listed

 
  NatureServe

not listed

 
  Minnesota

not listed

 
           
           
           
           
 
Description
 
 

Purple-gilled Laccaria is an easily recognized, robust, gill mushroom. It is common and widespread in eastern United States east of the Great Plains.

The vegetative (non-reproductive) part of the fungus (mycelium) grows on the rootlets of many species of trees and shrubs. It exists in a mutually beneficial (mycorrhizal) relationship, obtaining sugars and amino acids from the host while helping the host absorb water and nutrients. The fungus and the host need each other to survive.

The fruiting structure (mushroom) is 2 to 8 tall. It is found on the ground alone, scattered, or in clusters, in deciduous, coniferous, and mixed forests. The mushroom is short-lived, not surviving the winter. The mycelium may survive for decades.

The cap is 1 to 4¾ in diameter. It is broadly convex at first, becoming flat or with raised edges, sometimes with a depression in the middle, at maturity. It is light purplish-brown when young, becoming light brown when mature, and fading to grayish-white with age. The upper surface is dry and hairless or finely hairy. The margins rolled under at first, flattening out then becoming uplifted and sometimes wavy at maturity.

The gills are thick, somewhat waxy, well-spaced, and usually broadly attached to the stalk, sometimes slightly continuing down the stalk. The are dark purple or bright amethyst purple at first, fading with age and becoming dusted with white spores.

The stalk is 1¾ to 7½ tall, 3 16 to 1 thick, often curved, slightly swollen at the base, and evenly tapered to the top. It smooth or slightly scaly and colored the same as the cap.

The flesh is thick and colored similar to the cap or paler. It is edible but not tasty and not often collected for human consumption.

The spore print is white.

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
     
     
 
Habitat and Hosts
 
 

On the ground in deciduous and mixed forests

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Season

 
 

July to November

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 7, 24, 26, 29, 30, 77.

 
  9/7/2022      
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common and widespread in eastern United States

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Fungi (fungi)  
  Subkingdom Dikarya  
  Division Basidiomycota (club fungi)  
  Subdivision Agaricomycotina (jelly fungi, yeasts, and mushrooms)  
  Class Agaricomycetes (mushrooms, bracket fungi, puffballs, and allies)  
  Subclass Agaricomycetidae  
  Order Agaricales (common gilled mushrooms and allies)  
  Suborder Agaricineae  
  Family Hydnangiaceae  
  Genus Laccaria (deceivers)  
       
 

The genus Laccaria was formerly placed in the family Tricholomataceae, a waste-basket family containing a large number of genera that do not fit into another family or have not (yet) been separated into a distinct family. Some authors placed it into a separate family, Hydnangiaceae, based on its unique spore type. Subsequent DNA studies support this separation.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Agaricus ochropurpureus

Clitocybe ochropurpurea

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

Purple-and-White Deceiver

Purple Laccaria

Purple-gilled Laccaria

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Mycelium

The vegetative part of a fungus; consisting of a mass of branching, thread-like hyphae, through which a fungus absorbs nutrients from its environment; and excluding the fruiting, reproductive structure.

 

Mycorrhizal

A symbiotic, usually beneficial relationship between a fungus and the tiny rootlets of a plant, usually a tree.

 
 
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Honey Fae (Farah)

 
    Purple-gilled Laccaria      
 

Kirk Nelson

 
 

Gills

 
    Purple-gilled Laccaria      
           
 

Group

 
    Purple-gilled Laccaria      
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

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slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
  On Purple-Gilled Laccarias
The Richest Fare
 
   
 
About

Published on Nov 2, 2016

In this video I give a brief overview of the Purple-Gilled Laccaria as a wild edible mushroom.

Go to therichestfare.com for more about real food, healthy living and spiritual encouragement.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this fungus.

 
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  Honey Fae (Farah)
9/2/2022

Location: Dakota County

Purple-gilled Laccaria  
  Kirk Nelson
9/10/2017

Location: Lebanon Hills Regional Park

Purple-gilled Laccaria  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
   

 

 

Binoculars


Created: 9/16/2017

Last Updated:

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