Parasol Mushroom
Lepiota procera

About August 22 I started finding Parasol mushrooms here and there.  It took a few days to register that this was something better then an Amanita.  I read that experienced people consider it a "choice" edible.  Since I do not consider myself experienced, I will pass on consuming this mushroom.  I recently corresponded with an experienced forager who mistook an Amanita for a Lepiota and discovered her mistake after dining on them with a friend.  It is a very graceful mushroom.

Side view:

Notice movable "ring".

Top of cap:

Gills:

With close up of movable "ring".

Here is a cap of an older Parasol:

Morning dew on the cap.

August 22, 2005
Top

No ring on stem.

The edge of the cap had it.