Found throughout Europe and North America, shaggy parasol is most common from the Rockies eastward in the US. It prefers light shade and rich soil and grows alone or in groups in the deep litter of leaves or conifer needles of woodlands. The mushroom appears from mid summer to late autumn and grows up to about 8″ tall. It has a chestnut brown, egg-shaped cap when young but it expands with age, becomes convex and develops shaggy brown scales as the outer skin breaks. The cap may be 3-7″ wide when mature and rarely becomes flat. The gills are short, crowded and free. They are white when young, often with brownish edges, and turn reddish when cut or bruised. The stem has a bulbous base, and a double-edged, moveable ring. The flesh is whitish to pale brownish but becomes pinkish orange to reddish with a pleasant odor, then brownish when sliced. The spores are broadly ellipsoidal to globose, sometimes pear-shaped, and produce a white to pale cream spore print.
There a several species of mushroom that resemble shaggy parasol so identification is very important. Although shaggy parasol is considered edible it can cause serious digestive problems in about 1 out of every 25 people. It should always be cooked after the stem is peeled or removed from all but very young specimens. It is good baked with butter and garlic, or fried in olive oil and can be added to soups, casseroles, and stews or used to make quiche. A classic Italian recipe known as mazze de tamburo, combines slowly fried shaggy parasoles with minced garlic, fresh mint leaves, and crushed red peppers.
Photo Credit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chlorophyllum_rhacodes_Safran-Riesenschirmpilz_.jpg
Karen