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Group of Fungi: Agarics Family: Hydnangiaceae Latin Name: Laccaria ochropurpurea (Beck.) Peck Common Name: Purple-gilled Laccaria Description: Total height 2–6 in (5–15 cm); cap 1 5/8–5 in (4–12.5 cm) wide, purple to purple brown at first and then fading to gray or dull white, upper surface smooth to somewhat scruffy, margin incurved at first but becoming uplifted and wavy with age; gills moderately well separated, thick, pale to dark purple; stalk 1 5/8–5 1/2 in (4–14 cm) long, 3/8–3/4 in (1–2 cm) in diameter, usually tapering upward from a somewhat expanded base, somewhat fibrous, color similar to that of the cap; annulus absent; volva absent; spores white to pale lilac in mass. Biological Role: Forms mycorrhizal associations with forest trees. Habitat: On the ground in broadleaf and mixed-broadleaf forests. Geographical Distribution: Widely distributed throughout eastern North America. Comments: Laccaria ochropurpurea is particularly common in forests with oaks present. The purple color of the fruiting bodies makes this a relatively easy fungus to identify. It is edible but not highly regarded as something to be collected for human consumption. |
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