Sweetbread Mushroom

The cap is initially convex when young, but in maturity flattens out, usually with a shallow central depression; the margin is often inrolled. The cap ranges from white to light gray or yellow. It has a characteristic feel similar to the touch of chamois skin, usually being dry, but is sticky when moist. It measures 2 to 10 cm (3⁄4 to 4 in) in diameter. The gills are decurrent in attachment to the stipe, spaced together rather closely, and whitish, although they often develop a pinkish hue in age. The stipe is 2 to 8 cm (3⁄4 to 3+1⁄8 in) long × 4–15 mm thick and white or sometimes grayish; it may be located off-center or enlarged at the base. The mushroom has a mealy odor, somewhat like cucumber. The spore print is pink. The spores are 9–12 × 5–6.5 μm. Scopoli described it smelling like freshly ground flour. The variant C. prunulus var. orcellus has a slimy cap and white colors.

Chemistry. The cucumber odor of this species has been attributed to trans-2-nonenal, which is present at a concentration of 17 μg per gram of crushed tissue. C. prunulus contains the volatile compound 1-octen-3-ol, making it unpalatable to the coastal Pacific Northwest banana slug, Ariolimax columbianus.

Similar species. The poisonous Clitocybe rivulosa (fool's funnel) looks similar. …

C. prunulus may be found growing on the ground in hardwood and coniferous woods in the summer and autumn. C. prunulus has been recorded from Varsey Rhododendron Sanctuary in Sikkim, and from under cork oak in Morocco. It is found in Valdaysky National Park in Russia. A specimen identified as C. cf prunulus collected from Kermandie Track in southern Tasmania was related though basal to other collections of the species.

The species is considered edible and choice, but resembles some poisonous species, such as Clitocybe rivulosa.