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Edible mushrooms most commonly found in Catalonia
There are both edible and poisonous mushrooms amongst the various species that grow in Catalan forests. Below is a list of the edible mushrooms most commonly found in Catalonia.
Waxy Cap
Hygrophorus latitabundus
Also known as Waxcap mushrooms. This is one of the most sought-after and highly-valued mushrooms in Catalonia, especially in the Bages region. It can be gathered between the months of September and December.
The cap, which measures 6-10 cm in diameter and has an in-rolled margin, is of an olive-brown colour and viscous, as a result of the transparent and abundant mucilage that covers both the cap and the stem. It has white, widely-spaced, thick gills that are also viscous.
It is primarily found under pine trees, especially the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris), in calcareous soils of the lowland and middle mountain areas. It is generally found in somewhat numerous groups, often in the shape of a horseshoe, and grows in the same place each year.
Hygrophorus latitabundus. Laia Ribas
TOPYellow-footed Chanterelle
Cantharellus lutescens
Also known as the Yellow-stemmed Chanterelle. It can be gathered between the months of August and October.
It is difficult to confuse this mushroom with a poisonous species. Thus, the chances are slim that one would get sick when searching for Yellow-footed Chanterelle in the forest. This mushroom thrives in pine forests, primarily Scots pine forests. It grows forming large colonies in the mossy shade. For this reason, they are very easy to find.
Its greyish-brown cap is convex and umbilicate at first, taking on a funnel shape at maturity. It measures 3 to 6 cm in diameter and has a very wavy margin. The underside, which is of a beautiful light orange colour, is first smooth and later becomes veiny, without defined gills. It joins the stem, which is sharp and of the same colour, without interruption.
Cantharellus lutescens. Laia Ribas
Bloody Milk Cap
Lactarius sanguifluus
Also known as Bleeding Milk Cap. It is one of the most highly-valued mushrooms in the gastronomy sector. The Saffron Milk Cap, of the same genre, is often mistaken for this mushroom. It can be easily confused with the Yellowdrop Milkcap (Lacatarius chrysorrheus), a non-edible mushroom that looks like the Bloody Milk Cap but is smaller, of a lighter colour and releases white milk when broken.
It is characterised by the wine-coloured liquid that comes out of it when cut. This liquid has a rust (oxide) colour that quickly turns a greenish hue. The youngest mushrooms have a convex cap, but as they grow, it becomes more flat and eventually takes on a funnel shape. The gills are thin, dense and decurrent, extending downward along the stem. The stem is thick and tends to be spotted.
It is found in pine groves, especially in the lowland and shady areas. They depend on mycorrhizas and can be gathered from August to December.
Lactarius sanguifluus. Jordi Rius
Saffron Milk Cap
Lactarius deliciosus
Also known as Delicious Milk Cap and the Milk mushroom. It has a similar appearance to the Bloody Milk Cap, Lactarius sanguifluus, but its milk is an orange colour that turns green when the mushroom is cut.
Its cap measures 5 to 15 centimetres and the younger mushrooms have an in-rolled margin. The smooth cuticle has concentric orange and red circles. It often has green spots, especially when bruised. The gills on the underside are orange and may have green spots. The stem, which is white with bright orange spots, stands between 3 and 5 centimetres tall and has a diameter of between 1 and 3 centimetres.
It grows in pine groves in all types of soils. It is a very common mushroom in Catalonia and can be found from the coast all the way to the Pyrenees. It grows from late summer to the arrival of the winter's first cold spells.
Grey Knight
Tricholoma terreum
Also known as the Dirty Tricholoma. It can be gathered between the months of September and November.
It often has an irregular cap, with a protruding centre and a dry cuticle with different tones of grey, like velvet. It tends to have blackish fibrils and scales, especially in the central part. The gills are a dirty-white or grey colour and are well-spaced. The stem, which is cylindrical and fibrous, can be easily broken. Its thin and fragile flesh scarcely gives off a scent.
This is a late-season mushroom that thrives in pine forests, forming large groups with the first cold spells. Thus, it lengthens the season for the boletaire (mushroom hunter). It may even be found frozen.
Care must be taken to not confuse it with the poisonous Spotted Tricholoma (Tricholoma pardinum), which is larger and more robust, with a scaly cap. These thrive in beech tree groves and fir forests above an altitude of 1,500 metres. The Grey Knight tends to have a fairly spot-free stem, while the stem of the Spotted Tricholoma is always full of spots.
Tricholoma terreum
Panther Cap
Hygrophorus russula
Also known as the Panther and the False Blusher.
The cuticle, which is partially separable, is smooth and slightly striped. It is viscous in humid weather and of a rose colour, marked with wine-red spots and darkest in the centre. It contrasts with the whiter gills and stem. This mushroom has dense, abundant flesh, a fibrous stem, soft scent and sweet flavour, although it can sometimes be a little bitter.
It grows in holm oak, oakwood and beech tree forests, and in all types of soils, with a preference for basic and neutral soils. It thrives in the fall, generally in large groups called escarleteres.
It is not typically eaten right after it is gathered. Rather, it is preserved in salt or brine for later use. It can also be kept in a double boiler or in vinegar.
Care must be taken to not confuse it with the Livid Pinkgill (Entoloma sinuatum), which causes serious poisoning characterized by gastrointestinal problems.
Black Chanterelle
Craterellus cornucopioides
Also known as the Trumpet of the Dead and the Horn of Plenty, this mushroom can be gathered between the months of August and December.
It has a dark grey or blackish brown colour and a deep horn or funnel shape (which is where it gets its name) that almost reaches down to the stem's base. It has a wide margin, a wrinkled hymenial surface and tough, aromatic flesh. The flesh is thin, fibrous and does not rot easily.
It grows in broad-leaved forests with humid siliceous soils and can be found in circular formations during the summer and fall.
It is very similar to, but darker than, the Grey Chanterelle (Cantharellus Cinereus), which is also edible, and cannot be confused with any poisonous species.
Craterellus cornucopioides. Laia Ribas