Poplar mushrooms are a cosmopolitan species found growing on the roots and at the bases of Poplar and Willow. Commercially known as Black poplar or Velvet pioppini. Some Asian grocery stores sell Poplar mushrooms dried. They are picked before the veil breaks.
Above picture-Young and mature Poplar mushrooms.
Above- Young caps showing veil intact and raised sections.
Above- The veil is skirt-like with brown spore already dropped. The stem is tough.
Above- Closeup of the gills. Shallow and attaching to the stem. Greyish when young becoming brown at maturity.
Above- Mature mushrooms growing from the Poplar root in Autumn.
Above- Old poplar mushrooms showing the browning of the gills.
This species is popular among cultivators and makes a good stump rotter.
There is a native species occurring in Australia and New Zealand called Agrocybe parasitica. I have sampled it and found the taste identical.
Gymnopilus species are quite common and looking similar at first glance.
mushroaming 