Aniseed toadstool

Appearance

Young specimens have a light blue texture on the cap which fades to grey in age. The gills and stem are white with no ring.

Full grown specimens have blue-green, flowery, cup-shaped caps; the gills are creamy white, or reflect the blue-green color of the cap. The cap's surface feels rough. The stem is thick, is attached to the gills with no rings, and is textured, with a pale-yellow colour. The younger ones have a bell-shaped cap with a light blue or icy blue colour. The gills and stem are white, or bluish green. It has a strong scent and taste of aniseed, hence its name.

There is a white variety that has the same strong odour.

Distribution

Found in both deciduous, and coniferous woods, it is widespread in the temperate zones, occurring in Asia, Europe, and North America. On the East Coast of North America it favours oak woodland, but it is often abundant in the coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Habitat

Found in both deciduous, and coniferous woods, it is widespread in the temperate zones, occurring in Asia, Europe, and North America. On the East Coast of North America it favours oak woodland, but it is often abundant in the coniferous forests of the Pacific Northwest.

Uses

This mushroom is edible, but a few expert mushroom hunters insist that young specimens should be avoided as can be confused with ''Stropharia aeruginosa''. The anise odor is due to the presence of ''p''-anisaldehyde and a small amount of benzaldehyde. This odor can give away the mushroom's presence before it is observed by eye.