Agaricus subrutilescens (Kauffman) Hotson & Stuntz
Mycologia 30: 219. 1938.

Common Name: Wine Colored Agaricus

• Pileus

  Cap 6-14 cm broad, convex, expanding to plano-convex to nearly flat in age, sometimes with a low umbo; margin at first incurved, becoming decurved, occasionally upturned; surface dry, when young, dark-brown to purple-brown, appressed fibrillose or with flattened scales, darkest at disc, becoming paler towards the margin as a whitish ground color is revealed; flesh white, unchanging, thick, firm when young; odor and taste mild; pileal surface turning green in KOH.

• Lamellae

  Gills free, close, moderately broad, pinkish-brown, bruising reddish-brown, blackish-brown at maturity.

• Stipe

  Stipe 6-16 cm long, 1-2 cm thick, stuffed/hollow, equal to somewhat enlarged at base; surface more or less smooth at the apex, covered with cottony scales below; veil membranous, upper surface striate, lower surface white, cottony-fibrillose, forming a thin, membranous, superior ring.

• Spores

  Spores 4-6.0 x 3.5-4.5 µm, smooth, elliptical; spore print blackish-brown.

• Habitat

  Solitary, scattered to sometimes in arcs in mixed hardwood-conifer woods; fruiting from early to mid-winter.

• Edibility

  Edible and good.

• Comments

  Agaricus subrutilescens is recognized by a dark-brown to purple-brown, appressed fibrillose-scaly cap, stipe with conspicuous cottony scales below the ring, and forest habit. It is most likely to be confused with Agaricus hondensis, a toxic species, with which it sometimes fruits. The latter, however, has a cap with tan to buff-brown scales, a thicker ring, and a bulbous base. If in doubt, KOH will give a yellowing reaction in Agaricus hondensis while the pileus of A. subrutilescens will turn green.

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Taylor F. Lockwood: Agaricus subrutilescens (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Agaricus subrutilescens (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Agaricus subrutilescens (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Agaricus subrutilescens (CP) -- closeup of gills, annulus, and stipe ornamentation
  • Michael Wood: Agaricus subrutilescens (CP) -- surface of cap
  • Boleslaw Kuznik -- Hunting for Mushrooms: Agaricus subrutilescens (CP)
  • Arora (1985): p. 326 (D), plate 75 (CP)
  • Arora (1991): P. 115 (D & CP)
  • Kerrigan: p.52 (D & CP)
  • Lincoff: p. 508 (D), plate 161 (CP)
  • McKenny et al.: p. 151 (D & CP)
  • Phillips: p. 190 (CP), p. 191 (D)
  • Smith & Weber: sp. 172 (D & CP)

  (D=Description; I=Illustration; P=Photo; CP=Color Photo)