Photo and description of the flywheel mushroom: edible and false species, how to collect and cook. Moss fly green

Representatives of this genus are often found in the forest in summer and autumn. Since some moss mushrooms are edible, you should pay attention to them when you go on a quiet hunt. But not all of them are edible; you need to know exactly how you can recognize them among non- edible mushrooms of this kind.

Flyflies (Xerocomus) is a genus tubular mushrooms family Boletaceae. The taxonomy of the group to which it belongs is still unstable; different scientists attribute the same mushrooms to different genera or even families. For example, some of the species of mossflies that will be discussed are sometimes classified in the genus Boletus or even Suillus.

The genus Mokhovik includes 18 species, 7 of which grow in Russia and neighboring countries (although it is clear that this number varies from taxonomist to taxonomist). Let's look at some of them.

Green

Green flywheel (Xerocomus or Boletus subtomentosus) is the most common representative of its genus.

the cap is up to 15 cm in diameter, olive-brown or golden-brown, the young fruit body has a convex hemispherical shape with a folded edge, then prostrate, cushion-shaped. The skin is dry, velvety (smoother in older specimens), a little slippery after rain.
the stem is cylindrical, in some specimens it expands towards the base, up to 9 cm in height, up to 2.5 cm in thickness. It is usually lighter in color than the cap, often brick-red.
The pulp is whitish, dense. Like many of its relatives, the green moss fly turns slightly blue when cut.
the tubes are initially olive-yellowish, then rusty-olive, turning slightly blue when damaged.

Motley (cracked)

Variegated boletus (Xerocomus chrysenteron), fissured boletus, yellow-fleshed boletus or pasture boletus (Boletus pascuus).

the cap is up to 10 cm in diameter, convex, fleshy, the skin is net-like and cracking (pink cracks), reminiscent of a shell. Color from light brown to reddish brown. There is often a narrow purple-red stripe running along the edge of the cap.
the leg is cylindrical, up to 10 cm long and up to 2 cm thick, narrowed towards the bottom. Color ranges from light yellow or yellow-brown to red with yellow or red stripes.
the flesh is whitish or yellowish, turning blue when damaged, but only slightly.
the tubular layer in young specimens is light yellow, in old specimens it is yellowish-olive, turning blue when pressed.

Red

The red boletus (Xerocomus rubellus), the red boletus, as well as the red boletus (Boletus rubellus) or the red boletus is one of the smallest among its relatives, along with the variegated one.

its fleshy, smooth cap is convex at the beginning of the fruit body growth, then cushion-shaped, reaching a diameter of 3 to 6 cm. The color ranges from pinkish-purple to bright red, and becomes brownish when ripe.
the leg is cylindrical, at the base it can be thickened and pointed, the color is lighter than the cap. Its height is up to 8 cm, and its thickness is up to 1 cm.
the pulp is light yellow, dense, turns blue when damaged, but slowly.
the tubular layer is light yellow or olive yellow, turning blue when pressed.

Spreading

The ecology and range of representatives of the same genus are similar, but still vary somewhat from species to species.

Green flywheel grows in conifers and widely deciduous forests, as well as along the edges of ditches and roads. Forms mycorrhiza with the most different trees(deciduous and coniferous). Distributed throughout Russia, growing from June to October.
Variegated flywheel grows in mixed and deciduous forests, also on the sides of roads and the edges of ditches. It is quite rare, listed in the red books of some regions of Russia. It forms mycorrhiza mainly with beech, less often with other broad-leaved trees. Found from July to October.
Red flywheels usually grow in herbaceous communities (for example, on the edges of deciduous forests). They prefer oak forests. Distributed in the northern part temperate zone. They grow from August to September, and are quite rare.

Similar species

Green flywheel has 2 edible counterparts:

Velvet flywheel (Xerocomus or Boletus pruinatus) – smaller than green.
Chestnut moss (Xerocomus or Boletus ferrugineus). Its leg is covered with a clearly visible mesh, and its cap is darker and brown.

The variegated moss is also similar to the velvet one. Unlike the cap of the variegated one, its cap does not crack.

Red Moss Fly also has 2 doubles:

Poisonous Boletus sensibilis (no Russian name), the flesh of which turns blue quickly, in contrast to the red flesh with slowly turning blue.
Inedible boletus boletus (Boletus calopus), the stem and flesh of which are similar to the corresponding parts of the red one. However, its cap, gray or brown, is much darker.

Primary processing and preparation

All edible representatives of the genus have fleshy, nutritious pulp. After you return home, immediately begin processing the flywheels. Rinse off forest debris. Then inspect the fruiting body; if worm passages are found, cut off the damaged areas.

Soups are made from them, they are fried, stewed, baked. You can eat both the caps and the stems, but it is better to remove the skin from the caps. Young mushrooms are more suitable for cooking, since old ones are often wormy. You can fry without pre-boiling.

For long-term storage they are salted, pickled and dried.

Benefits and harms

All representatives of the genus contain a lot essential oils, as well as easily digestible proteins and carbohydrates. In addition, proteins contribute to better absorption of other foods. These mushrooms contain vitamins A, B (as much as in cereals), B2, B5 (no less than in yeast), C and D (as in butter). Of the metals, they contain a lot of molybdenum and calcium.

Since flywheel, like other mushrooms, is considered a heavy food, it is not recommended for use for gastrointestinal diseases. They can also harm people with liver disease. In addition, any mushroom, flywheel or other, is a strong allergen. They are not recommended for children. Mushrooms growing near plants, factories or busy roads contain harmful substances, so you should not collect them in such places.

As you can see, moss mushrooms have valuable properties, they can be used in preparing many dishes, and they will undoubtedly add variety to your table. They take up little space in the basket, but bring a lot of benefits.

Kira Stoletova

Green flywheel mushroom or any other type is close relative boletus, which grows in deciduous and coniferous forests. It is most often found in moss, hence the name. There are about 18 species of this mushroom, almost all of them are edible, except for some false varieties.

General description of the mushroom

What does the moss mushroom look like and how is it classified? This species belongs to the department Basidomycetes, class Agaricomycetes, order and family Boletaceae, genus Xerocomus. It is also called goat mushroom, sitovik, and shubnik.

For last year The classification has changed slightly. Some varieties belong to the genus Boletaceae and Pseudoboletaceae. Sometimes such mushrooms are called false mushrooms.

Like many edible varieties, the fruiting body consists of a cap with a hymenophore and a stalk. Height reaches 3-11 cm.

Description of the fruiting body:

Hat. Its diameter ranges from 4 cm to 20 cm. The surface is dry and velvety, and often becomes sticky after rain. Color ranges from dark green to brown. In young mushrooms the cap is convex, in old ones it becomes flat, sometimes covered with cracks. The skin does not separate from the pulp.
The pulp is dense, the middle in some cases resembles the consistency of cotton wool. The shade of the pulp is yellow, yellow-green or red, turning blue when cut.
The hymenophore is not lamellar, but tubular. The length of the tubes is about 2 cm. The color of the hymenophore is yellow, sometimes with green or brown tints.
The spores are of different shades of brown - from olive to dark brown.
Leg. The shape is cylindrical, thickened or narrowed at the bottom, depending on the type. The surface is smooth, wrinkled, ribbed, sometimes covered with a thin black mesh. The stem is always lighter than the cap. Diameter - from 0.5 cm to 2-4 cm.

The characteristics largely depend on the type of mushroom, although they are all similar to each other. When pressed, the color of the pulp changes to blue. The tissue is damaged, resulting in the release of a substance that turns blue when in contact with oxygen. It protects the fruiting body from further damage and does not in any way affect its taste or safety.

Where does moss fly grow?

Mossworts are found in different regions of the world. They grow in North America, Europe and the European part of Russia, Asia, Australia and North Africa. Each part of the world has its own species. More varieties grows in temperate latitudes. But there are also those who love the subtropics. Green moss growing on alpine meadows and even in the subarctic zone.

Mushrooms grow alone; groups are rarely formed. The most favorable soil is sandy. Collection time begins in mid-May. Lasts until mid-October. In good years, a whole basket can easily be collected in a small area. Sometimes the Polish mushroom is included in this group, but it belongs to a different genus.

Edible species of moss mushrooms

Moss mushroom is often an edible mushroom. In composition it is inferior to white or boletus, but is also considered tasty and valuable. It is readily collected and added to soups, gravies and other dishes. For the winter they are frozen or pickled. Moss mushrooms are rarely stored in dried form: they turn black after this type of processing.

Green moss

Green moss is one of the most common species growing in temperate and northern climates. Appearance changes depending on age. Main signs:

The cap has a diameter of 4-11 cm. In young specimens it is semicircular, then becomes convex and cushion-shaped. The surface is pubescent, velvety, and becomes covered with cracks in dry weather.
The flesh of the cap is oily, white or cream in color, and after breaking it acquires a faint blue tint.
The hymenophore in young mushrooms is sulfur-yellow, then acquires a green or olive tint, and in old fruiting bodies it becomes brown. When pressed, it turns slightly blue. The tubes are wide (this is distinctive feature of this particular type), the shape is faceted or angular. In young mushrooms, the hymenophore fuses with the stalk, then a notch is formed at the junction.
The spores are ellipsoid or fusiform, brown-olive in color.
The leg has the shape of a cylinder narrowed towards the bottom. Height - 4-11 cm, diameter - up to 2 cm. Top layer hard, inside the pulp resembles cotton wool.

The taste is pleasant, delicate, with fruity notes. Mushroom suitable for any type culinary processing, belongs to the second category. Found in coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests, oak forests. The collection season in Russia is from May to October.

Blushing moss

The flywheel is blushing, or red, - rare species. It is found in ravines, on the sides of old dirt roads. Main features:

The cap has a diameter of 10-14 cm. At first it is convex, then becomes prostrate, sometimes with dents and a raised edge. The surface of young specimens is velvety, while that of older specimens is scaly and cracked. Shades - red, wine red, burgundy, brown. Hence the name - “red moss fly”. The skin fits tightly to the pulp and cannot be removed.
The tubular layer of a young mushroom is golden yellow; with age, an olive tint appears. When pressed it turns blue-green. Near the stalk, the tubes are denser than at the periphery.
The pulp is dense, yellow (directly under the cap has a reddish tint), when cut it turns blue-green.
The leg is cylindrical, up to 10 cm high, with a diameter of 10-15 mm. Closer to the cap it is colored yellow, below - brown or pink, covered with scales. The flesh of the leg is dense and solid.

Red flywheel belongs to the fourth category. Mushrooms are tasty and suitable for any type of cooking. They are harvested in late summer and early autumn (August and September). In appearance, this mushroom is slightly reminiscent of the Polish one, but has more pronounced red tones in the color of the cap and stem.

Fractured flywheel

The fissured or variegated flywheel mushroom grows in any coniferous and deciduous forests. It is not found only in high mountain areas and on peat soils.

Description of the variety:

The hat has a diameter of up to 10 cm, its color is light brown, brown, olive or gray-brown, reddish in the cracks. The edge is sometimes colored purple. The surface is felt, with numerous cracks. The shape is pillow-shaped, the top skin cannot be removed.
The inside of the cap is loose, light yellow, directly under the skin and near the stem it is reddish. On the cut it first turns blue and then turns red.
The hymenophore of a young mushroom is yellow and turns green with age. The tubes are widened, angular, descending to the stalk. When pressed, the layer turns blue.
The leg tapers towards the bottom, average height- 3-5 cm, maximum - 9 cm. Thickness - 10-15 mm, color light yellow, olive, red at the bottom. If you press on the flesh, it turns blue.

Motley or fissured moss is harvested from July to October. It is tasty, but old fruiting bodies spoil quickly. Suitable for frying, pickling, it is rarely dried.

Moss fly brown

Brown or chestnut moss is a widespread species that is found in mixed forests (less often in coniferous forests). Grows next to spruce, birch, and beech trees. Range: European part of Russia, Belarus, Poland, northern Ukraine. In appearance it looks a bit like green look moss fly.

Its description:

The cap has a size of 6-10 cm. In youth it is hemispherical, then straightens. Color brown, brown-red, olive-brown. It gets dark when it rains. It forms white coating, which is capable of switching to other types of mushrooms. In dry weather the cap cracks.
The pulp is white or cream in color and does not turn blue when cut. In young specimens it is dense, in old specimens it becomes spongy.
Hymenophore with large pores, the length of the tubes is about 10 mm. The color is light yellow and does not change when pressed. The consistency at the beginning of the life of the fruiting body is dense, then the tubular layer becomes soft.
The leg is often curved, grows 8-10 cm. Its diameter is 10-20 mm. The interior is fibrous. The top of the stem is covered with the remains of mycelium. Color - yellow or olive, below - red-brown.

Chestnut true moss is harvested from June to October. He has good taste qualities, belongs to the third category. Suitable for frying, boiling, salting, pickling.

Powdered flywheel

The powdered green mushroom mushroom grows mainly in southern regions Russia, the Caucasus, Ukraine, Far East. Prefers pine forests. IN northern latitudes rarely occurs.

Its features:

The cap of the mushroom seems to be dusted with fine powder (especially in its youth), which is where the name “powdered” comes from. It is convex, with a curved edge. The color is brown, olive, yellow-brown, often uneven, with spots of different shades, which is why they often say that this moth fly is variegated. IN rainy weather the hat becomes sticky and slippery.
The inside of the cap is dense, yellow, and becomes bright when cut. blue, turns black over time.
The tubular layer is bright yellow ( hallmark), then it acquires a shade of olive and ocher. The pores are large, rounded-angular, the spores are olive-yellow. The hymenophore grows tightly together with the stalk and partially passes onto it.
The leg is 7-10 cm high, 10-20 mm thick, widened at the bottom. It is not characterized by a mesh pattern; a dotted, red-brown coating is noticeable in the middle part. The color of the leg is red-brown, with a brown tint; it turns blue when cut.

The variety has common features with Polish mushroom, oakberry. It is harvested from mid-summer to mid-autumn.

Velvet flywheel

The true velvet moss grows in deciduous, coniferous and mixed forests. The mycelium forms a symbiosis with oak, beech, pine and spruce. Fruiting bodies look like this:

The cap is spherical at the beginning of the growing season, then becomes convex and spherical. The top layer is velvety, without cracks, and becomes smooth over time. Rare cracks appear only on old fruiting bodies. The color of the cap is brown, purple-brown, over time it fades and acquires a pink tint.
The pulp is white or with a slight yellow tint, turning blue when cut.
Tubular layer with large yellow pores, spindle-shaped spores, olive in color.
The leg has a length of 4-12 cm, diameter - 5-20 mm. Inside there are amyloid hyphae with thick walls, which is distinctive feature kind.

Mushroom picking time lasts from late August to mid-October. They have a good taste and are suitable for any culinary processing.

Boss moss

The green bog mushroom is sometimes called sandy or variegated butterfly. It is found in Central and Northern Europe, on the territory of the European part of Russia, in Siberia, the Urals and the Caucasus. Prefers pine forests. Characteristics of the type:

The hat initially has the shape of a hemisphere, then becomes pillow-shaped. Its diameter is 5-14 cm. The surface of small fungi is smooth, in the middle of the growing season it cracks and becomes scaly, and in mature fruiting bodies it becomes smooth again. The peel is difficult to separate. The color changes from gray-orange to brown-red, then turns into light ocher.
The pulp is dense, light yellow, becoming lemon-like closer to the surface of the cap and stem.
The tubes first adhere to the stalk and then separate. Their length is 8-12 mm, yellow and olive-yellow in color, and turns blue when pressed. The spores are olive-brown or yellow, ellipsoid.
The leg is 3-9 cm, thick (diameter - 2-3.5 cm), lemon-colored (red-brown at the bottom).

The species prefers sandy soils and is collected from June to early November. Belongs to the third category, is well suited for pickling, has low taste.

Conditionally edible moss mushrooms

Conditionally edible species include species that require special cooking before consumption. For example, they need to be boiled for a long time, draining the water several times. This is due to bitterness or mild toxic properties.

Moss fly semi-golden

Semi-golden is a rare type of mushroom that is found in the Caucasus, the Far East, and some regions of Ukraine. Its signs:

The cap is convex, becomes flat in old age, and has a light yellow or golden color.
The tubular layer is slightly darker than the cap.
The leg is medium thick, yellow or reddish.

To cook, this mushroom needs to be boiled 3-4 times, constantly draining the water. It is not suitable for drying. The semi-golden flywheel belongs to the fourth category, its taste properties are low.

The hat is at first hemispherical, then becomes flat, covered with fluff on top, and has a velvety surface. The color is brownish-yellow, diameter is up to 5 cm.

The pulp is loose, tasteless and odorless.

The hymenophore is first yellow, then olive-brown. The tubes are short, fused with the stalk, the pores are wide and ribbed.

The leg is brownish-yellow, thin, curved, tapering at the bottom. It has a brownish-yellow tint, covered with red spots.

This species is rare and grows in dry places, on sandy soils. Going to in large groups, in places where false raincoats grow. Some experts classify it as false and consider it inedible due to its poor taste and lack of mushroom smell.

Inedible fly mushrooms

Wood flywheel

Tree moss mushroom grows in North America and Europe, but is extremely rare in Russia. It releases its mycelium into old wood or sawdust. It is found in old log houses, near destroyed wooden houses and even in sawmills.

Characteristics of the type:

The hat has the shape of a hemisphere, diameter - 2-8 cm. The surface is smooth, red-brown, the skin cannot be removed.

The inside is dense, yellowish, tasteless and odorless.

The tubular layer extends to the stem; its color is red-brown or rusty-brown. The pores have a round or angular shape, their length is 5-10 mm. The spores are fusiform or ellipsoid, yellow-olive.

The leg is thick, 10-27 mm in diameter, 8-10 cm in height, often curved, cylindrical. The color is the same as the hat or 1-2 shades lighter.

In appearance, this species is somewhat reminiscent of the semi-golden, but has a darker color with a distinct brown tone.

Peppery

There are other inedible representatives of false flyworms that belong to other species. For example, the pepper fly is in the genus Chalciporus, not Xerocomus. This mushroom is not poisonous, but it is not consumed due to its bitterness and pungent taste. In rare cases, it is added to food instead of pepper. Its description:

The cap is 2-7 cm in diameter, the surface is smooth, the skin cannot be removed. The color is brown, yellow-brown, red-brown, more often light.

To sum it up

If you are in doubt whether you have found edible species, it’s better not to collect it. Mushroom pickers do not recommend taking the parasitic or even semi-golden species. It is better to collect green, velvet, variegated and other similar varieties. If you don’t have self-confidence, it’s better to ask a more experienced person to show you good mushrooms.

The flywheel mushroom is not very popular among fans " quiet hunt"due to mediocre taste. However, such mushrooms quite often end up in baskets along with more popular types.

It is worth knowing that in addition to the real flywheel, there are a number of types of mushrooms that are similar in appearance to the flywheel, but are inedible or semi-edible.

To avoid possible troubles, it is advisable to know what the mushroom looks like and whether the so-called false mushrooms can be eaten.

Are there false flywheels?

It is immediately necessary to clarify that there is a positive answer to the question of whether there are false flyworms. Since in nature there are enough large number There are different types of mushrooms, there are species that are very similar in appearance, but differ significantly in nutritional properties.

It is worth noting that the description below of how to determine the type of mushroom by its appearance does not guarantee success in real conditions. In order to get the most correct idea of what a real and false moss mushroom looks like, it is advisable to study the photos provided on many specialized sites. In this case, it will be more likely to distinguish mushrooms.

The types of mushrooms listed above are to varying degrees similar to the real moss mushroom. Each of them has certain differences.

Pepper and gall mushrooms differ from flywheels in having a pinkish, white or dirty brown cut color, which may begin to turn red over time.

The chestnut mushroom has a reddish-brown cap, which can crack in hot weather, and a yellowish cut that does not change color over time.

How to distinguish a false moth from a real one

The difficulty in determining the type of flywheel is that there are about 18 species of such mushrooms, differing in size and appearance.

For example, the fissured flywheel has a cap that ranges in color from brown to burgundy-red, and in summer it is covered with a network of cracks. The flesh of the mushroom is yellowish-white, after cutting it first turns blue and then acquires a reddish tint.

The red flywheel, as the name suggests, has a bright red (sometimes crimson) cap, the leg at the bottom has a reddish tint, and near the cap it is bright yellow (in some cases yellowish-brown).

The main difference between all types of true moss mushrooms is that they grow on different types of moss, which is where their name comes from. When pressing on the plates under the mushroom cap, a characteristic bluish mark remains on them.

The sizes of most types of true flywheels are limited to a height of about 10 cm and the same diameter of the cap.

In this case, for a more comprehensive view of appearance For a real flywheel, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the photo of this mushroom.

Other types of mushrooms that have external resemblance with flywheel, but not possessing the listed characteristics, can be classified as false species.

What to do if you eat a false mushroom

It is worth knowing that poisonous mushrooms are not found among all types of false fly mushrooms. Therefore, to the question of whether it is possible to be poisoned by false fly fly, there is a negative answer.

For this reason, there is no point in worrying about what will happen if you eat a false mushroom. Basically all types false mushrooms, similar to flywheel, the only unpleasant properties they have are an excessively bitter taste.

Yellow-brown mossy mushroom can be seen in coniferous and mixed forests, but grows on soils with a predominance of sand. This is a completely edible specimen. It can be consumed boiled, fried or pickled. There are several names: swamp moss, yellow aspen, swamp, pied, sandy moss and yellow-brown butterwort. Sometimes called yellow aspen, it is usually found either as single specimens or in small groups. There are especially many of them growing in the north of the European territory of Russia. Yellow-brown moss mushrooms are rarely wormy because the flies that feed on the mushrooms do not like their very pungent and resinous taste.

Moss fly mushrooms are rarely worm-bearing.

Moss mushroom is a mushroom that belongs to the third category. It is used as food and harmonizes well with other ingredients in various dishes. During frying and marinating, moss mushrooms darken greatly. It is not recommended to dry these plants, as they dry out very much and harden to such an extent that it is then impossible to soften them. If we talk about pickling moss mushrooms, then this variety, like no other, is suitable for marinade, however, the taste becomes spicy, peppery, which is not for everyone.

There are different types Mossworts.

The caps bend strongly upward during cooking; this is one of the differences from other tubular-type specimens.

Despite the fact that this species belongs only to the third group in terms of the content of useful elements, it is not inferior to beef, is absorbed by the human body a little worse, but can replace protein in the diet of any vegetarian. It contains a large amount of minerals, essential oils, as well as various enzymes that promote better digestion of food.

Moss mushrooms are a fairly heavy food, so it is not recommended to eat them if you have various diseases of the digestive system.

Species found in the forest

There are several types of moss fly mushrooms that can be found in any forest, coniferous or deciduous. Mushrooms are so called because they often grow on mosses, for example, in forests, tundra, on the slopes of mountains or ravines, old stumps and trees.

A sign of moss mushrooms is a dry, slightly blue cap (with clear and very even brims).

Yellow-brown flywheel belongs to the third category nutritional value.

The tubular layer of the mushroom cap is usually light golden in color, its surface is sticky, especially in wet weather. When cut, the legs of moss mushrooms also have a bluish tint; they do not have any rings or scales. They usually grow slightly elongated and rather thin, and the mushroom caps are tall. The most common varieties:

Polish. Its second name is chestnut because it has a smooth chestnut cap. In wet weather it becomes shiny and quite sticky. The diameter of these mushrooms reaches 15 cm, and the height of the stem is 12 cm.
Green, which is very similar to the Polish one, but its cap has a more greenish tint or a little brown. Greens are often confused with boletuses, because these representatives have brown hat. The difference between them is that boletuses have thicker legs, which are covered with peculiar scales.
The red one, unlike the others, has a very bright red cap, and in adult specimens the color becomes more brown. This variety grows not only in deciduous or coniferous forests, but also in thickets of bushes.
The fissured one is very small, its caps do not exceed 10 cm in diameter, the legs of this specimen are colored pink at the base, and yellow closer to the cap. This species does not grow more than 10 cm in height. Has characteristic cracks on the cap (usually in summer), and in autumn period the cracks usually disappear.
The powdered flywheel grows in more warm regions, for example, in Ukraine or the Caucasus.

The mushroom received its interesting name due to the variable color of the cap (from gray-yellow to dark brown).

The leg of this specimen is red-brown in color, covered with a brown coating in the center. If you make a cut on the surface, you can see the blue flesh, which after a while becomes almost black. Visually, this type of flywheel is similar to the Polish type, the only difference is that the color of the powdered flywheel is quite rich.

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Fly mushrooms, edible and inedible

The poisonous pepper mushroom is often confused with the flywheel.

Edible flywheel

Considering that the yellow-brown moss mushroom belongs to the third category of nutritional value and does not have a special taste, this specimen does not cause much interest among experienced mushroom pickers. But still this species is conditionally edible. Those who deal with mushrooms professionally know and recommend not to collect old specimens, because their spongy layers often peel off. You need to eat the caps of moss mushrooms. This species is often called the yellow-brown oiler because, like the moss, it grows in damp areas of the forest or near peat bogs.

Inedible flywheel (false flywheel)

This mushroom is similar to a green flywheel, characterized by its small size, the diameter of its cap is no more than 5 cm. The taste and smell are very unpleasant, and there is no characteristic blue discoloration when cut. Not a single variety of flywheel has such characteristics, so it is simply impossible to make a mistake in identifying an inedible specimen. It happens that this type moss mushrooms are confused with similar pepper mushrooms. They have a very bitter taste, which becomes more pronounced when cooked.

They have a characteristic white, dirty pink or light brown color and an unpleasant taste. Knowledgeable people suggest that these mushrooms have many special characteristics, for example, they taste bitter or turn red when cut, and have an unpleasant smell and taste. Another type of inedible flywheel is chestnut mushroom. It has a specific red velvety cap, which usually tends to crack when hot weather, when pressing on it, brown spots form. This mushroom acquires bitterness, but loses it when dried. Therefore, you need to be very careful when choosing mushrooms when collecting them in order to avoid cases where some inedible specimens of fly mushrooms accidentally end up in the basket.

The description of the morphological features characterizing flywheels is as follows:

dry, slightly velvety cap;
in some species, in wet weather the surface of the cap looks sticky;
older specimens of fruiting bodies have pronounced cracking on the surface of the cap;
the flesh is whitish, yellowish or reddish in color and may be blue when cut;
tubular type yellow, greenish-yellow or red hymenophore descends along the stalk or grows onto it;
tubular pores are relatively wide;
with a smooth or wrinkled surface, the leg does not have a cover or ring.

In our country, only seven types of flywheels are widely used.

Varieties of moss mushrooms

Eighteen species are united in the genus of moss mushrooms, but in Russia, lovers of “quiet” hunting have the opportunity to meet the five most common varieties, among which there are completely no toxic or deadly poisonous varieties.

Name of the moss fly species	Latin	hat	Leg	Pulp
Red or blushing	Xerocomellus rubellus	Up to 80 mm in diameter, cushion-convex or prostrate in shape, deep red in color with a pronounced brownish tint. The surface is velvety felt type, but cracks may be present	Cylindrical in shape with a narrowing at the base, height no more than 10 cm, solid or fibrous type, yellow or pinkish in color	Dense type, yellow in color, slightly blue when cut
Green	Xerocomus subtomentosus	Pillow-convex shape, with a velvety surface, grayish or olive-brown in color	Cylindrical or tapering at the base, smooth, fibrous with a dark mesh on the surface	White color, does not turn blue or turns slightly blue on the cut
Fissured or Grassland	Xerocomellus chrysenteron	Up to 10 cm in diameter, convex or cushion-shaped, with a dry and matte surface of burgundy-red, brown, olive-brown, brown, brown-red color with a net-like cracking pattern of a pinkish hue	Club-shaped, dark fissured type, with fine scaling in the upper part and red color at the bottom	Whitish or yellowish color, intensely blue on the cut
Polish mushroom	boletus badius	Up to 15 cm in diameter, semicircular, convex, cushion-shaped or flat, covered with permanent skin, with a smooth and dry surface of chestnut brown, dark brown or chocolate brown color	Cylindrical in shape or with a slight narrowing at the bottom, fibrous, light brown, brown or yellow in color with red-brown fibrous	Fleshy type, quite dense, whitish or yellowish in color, slightly blue and brown when cut, with a pleasant mushroom aroma and mild taste

Similar types of mushrooms

a convex and slightly velvety or oily cap;
the average diameter of the cap can vary between 20-70 mm;
the color of the surface of the mushroom cap can be yellow, light walnut or ocher-brown;
the flesh is light yellow in color and has virtually no mushroom taste or aroma, without turning blue when cut;

Description of flywheel mushrooms (video)

the descending type tubular layer is represented by tubes ranging in size from 3 mm to 7 mm;
lemon-yellow or rusty-brown pores are quite wide, with ribbed edges;
Solid type, cylindrical shape, the height of the leg reaches no more than 60 mm.

Distribution area

Preference is given to sandy soils of coniferous plantings. One of the species that is quite common in our country is the flywheel Xerocomellus chrysenteron, which bears fruit en masse on acidic and loose soils from the second ten days of August to mid-September.

The fruiting bodies of Xerocomellus rubellus are formed from August to the first ten days of September. The species Xerocomus subtomentosus is characterized by the formation of mycorrhizae not only with conifers, but also with deciduous trees. This cosmopolitan mushroom bears fruit en masse from May to the first ten days of October and grows both in forest areas, and in clearings or roadsides.

Chemical composition

Chemical composition flywheel mushrooms are rich in vitamins “B”, “C”, “E”, “PP”, and also have a sufficient amount of calcium, chlorine, zinc, sodium, fluorine, potassium and phosphorus. 100 g of mushroom pulp contains:

proteins about 1.7 g, which is approximately 2% of daily norm;
fat at least 0.7 g, which is at least 1% of the daily requirement;
carbohydrates at the level of 1.5 g, which is about 0.7% of the daily value.

The total calorie content is about 19 kcal.

Where moss mushrooms grow (video)

Cooking methods

The most valuable is the Polish mushroom, which can be used to prepare many mushroom dishes, and has also proven itself well in freezing, drying and pickling. Pasture flywheels have a slimy consistency when cooked, so Most often, young fruiting bodies are used for use in mushroom dishes, which are consumed fresh and salted, and are also suitable for drying and freezing.

The fruiting bodies of the reddish flywheel have a rather pleasant mushroom aroma, but completely inexpressive taste. As a rule, mushrooms of this type are used freshly prepared. It should also be remembered that as a result of drying, the fruiting bodies of Xerocomellus rubellus become very dark. Green flywheels are usually used fresh, and during the drying process the fruiting bodies turn black.

Moss mushrooms are one of the most popular among connoisseurs of “quiet” mushroom hunting. You can prepare a large number of delicious and very healthy dishes from moss mushrooms. Preparation should begin with a review of the collected fruiting bodies and removal of forest debris, as well as thorough washing twice a day under running water.

Moss mushrooms are used for cooking soups, stewing in sour cream, frying, preparing filling for pies or pizza, and also in vegetable stews. You can prepare dishes for direct consumption, as well as prepare mushrooms for winter period, through salting, pickling and drying. Before pickling, the mushrooms need to be doused with boiling water, which will allow the fruiting bodies to retain their attractive color.