Parasol in July

While most associate mushrooms with woodland in Autumn one can even find edible fungal delights on the coast in July. This giant lone mushroom is either the Parasol (Macrolepiota procera) or the Shaggy Parasol (Macrolepiota rhacodes). I didn't distrurb it to find out which of the two candidates it was, the flesh of the M. rhacodes bruises red; though both make good eating, it was so beautiful nestled among the ripe grass that I left it for others to appreciete.



Another reason for turning down costal mushroom for breakfast is that I had left all my I dentification books at home and though I am confident of this identification I have promissed my wife that I will only eat fungus I have identified with 100% certainty using two different books!