Edible mushroom - beginner Season - summer to autumn Common names amethyst deceiver, amethyst laccaria
Scientific name meaning: Laccaria comes from the Greek Lakkos, meaning a hole or pit - fruit bodies in this genus of have a hole in the centre of the cap. Amethystina is derived from the Latin Amethysteus, meaning amethyst (purple) coloured
Habitat  A mycorrhizal fungus growing with deciduous and coniferous trees. It is particularly found with Beech. It is most often found in large numbers of scattered fruit bodies. |
Overall structure and growth  The shape of these mushrooms is extremely variable, thus their common name. All parts of the mushroom can be found twisted into various froms. |
Cap  The caps are 2-7cm wide and start off convex. They flatten somewhat with age but can have wavy edges, become funnel shaped and be very twisted, often there is a central depression or hole. They are a deep purple colour when young and turn pale buff with age, sometimes almost white. |
Gills and spores  Deep purple when young, paling to lilac with age. They are thick, widely spaced and interspersed with short gills from the cap's outer edge. The gills are adnate (broadly attached to the stem) to slightly decurrent (running down the stem). |
Stem  Fibrous and often twisted and hollow, the purple stem turns lilac with age. It is usually 0.5-1cm wide, but can reach 5 to 10cm in height. Often has furry mycelium threads at its base. Has no skirt or ring. |
Flesh, smell and taste  The flesh is purple paling to lilac with age. It has a smell similar to natural rubber and in indistinct taste. |
Possible lookalikes  Could be confused with Mycena pura/rosea, but these smell of radish and have white gills. Could also be confused with purple Cortinarius species, but these lack the twisted hollow stems and more crowded gills. Also could be confused with the deadly poisonous Lilac Fibrecap (Inocybe lilacina), pictured, but this has pale grey gills that turn clay-brown with age |
Use as a food Must be cooked and can be used exactly as a cultivated mushroom. It has a rich meaty flavour. Sadly, the amethyst deceiver loses its colour when cooked and turns a dark grey-black. Hazards Bioaccumulates arsenic particularly well, so ensure sites that it is harvested from do not have contaminated soil. This is of particular importance in areas where there have been mining activities
Use in herbal medicine and medicine None known. If you are suffering from any ailment or need medical advice, please see your General Practitioner Other uses None known Importance to other species Provides food for a the larvae of a number of fly species. Worth remembering when harvesting. Younger specimens tend to have less livestock inside!
Always stay safe when foraging. You need to be 100% sure of your identification, 100% sure that your foraged item is edible, and 100% sure that you are not allergic to it (it is good practice to always try a small amount of any new food you are consuming). If in doubt, leave it out!
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