So, to coincide with my video series on my Mushroom Photograph hunt, where I am aiming to hunt down every Mushroom in the UK. Here is a written & guess more in depth look into this series & to kick off, I found a very common, but still somewhat beautiful Rhodocollybia Butyracae, also known as the Butter Cap Mushroom, in my local woodland. This journey will take me throughout the country with my head on the ground, so it's always nice to start close to home.
The Butter Cap according to my pocket guide I take out with me, is a fleshy/ slimy buttery capped shroom particularly on the umbo of the cap, where it gets it's name although not buttery in taste.
They can be found in woodlands more specifically in foliage & often appear in fairy rings although these I photographed were in only a pair.
At an immature age they can appear a lighter brown in colour & darkens at a mature age, with the umbo always retaining it's dark moist look. It's appearance also has with it creamy adnexed gills. The stem as in the photos taken can differ although are a tanned brown, does taper from a chunkier base & has fine white hairs. Those adnexed gills are shared among fungus in the Collybia genus. This is where they taper at the upper stem & leave a hanging or joined narrowly.
I took with & like all future trips out, will take my macro lens & ring lite flash which garners some amazing results personally. For example it revealed those crowded ribbed like gills & the beautiful intricate patterns which make it even more fleshy. I hope you like the photos I've taken! I'll be out again soon ticking another off my list & even coming back to the Butter Cap once I learn more.
Cap: Lighter brown in early age with a darker brown umbo, although this stays through it's maturity. In later life cap curls up (see pictures) & gets lighter at the edges sometimes white.
Spores: White-Off white to pale pink. Can be hard to distinguish. Ellipsoid.
Gills: Adnexed or narrowly joined. White-Creamy in colour
Stem: Tapers up from thicker base of which can be darker in colour compared to the upper.
Flesh: White mainly & thin
Habitat: Woodlands particularly among foliage of especially late autumn- early winter. I found these in a Beech woodland.
Season: July - December
Size/Height: 5cm average cap with a 6cm height.
Edible: Yes, although not that tasty. Still saves a few coin in the supermarket though.
Confusion species:
Clustered Toughshank - Given it is part of the same family (collybia/Tricholomataceae) although differences can fluctuate between each mushroom, I have seen one's that are alike especially where they are early in there life. One clear difference for me is that the Cap's Umbo has more of a swell on the Clustered Toughshank, & a key fundamental of the Butter Cap is that the Umbo retains slimy as it ages given it's nickname the Greasy Toughshank which it has more recently to be known as. The Clustered much like the Toothed below, has different shaded gills. These are pinkish to almost brown however.
Rhodocollybia prolixa (Collybia distorta) - I don't think this is found in the UK. But for confusion sake, again from it's scientific name does share similarities. Immature look very alike to the Toughshank & Butter Cap. It's cap does collapse however & gills appear yellow. Are often found among coniferous trees.
Agrocybe firma - Is a genus in the Strophariaceae family. When the cap is not collapsed does look a little like one. Being an agaric shares similar gills, a ribbed like papery undercap.
Key links:
https://www.wildfooduk.com/mushroom-guide/butter-cap/
https://www.mushrooms.su/en/rhodocollybia_prolixa.htm
https://www.naturespot.org.uk/species/clustered-toughshank
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