Agaricus Notes

Agaricus

Scientific classification

Kingdom:                   Fungi

Phylum:                      Basidiomycota

Subphylum:               Agaricomycotina

Class:                          Agaricomycetes

Subclass:                     Agaricomycetidae

Order:                                    Agaricales

Family:                       Agaricaceae

Genus:                        Agaricus

Species:                       A. campestris

Diversity of  Agaricus species with reference to Pakistan

Agaricus augustus                               edible              According to Gardezi et al 1993

Agaricus Campestris                           edible              According to Gardezi et al 1993

Agaricus placomyces                          edible              According to Gardezi et al 1993

Agaricus silvaticus                              edible              According to Gardezi et al 1993

Agaricus silvicola                                edible              According to Gardezi et al 1993

Distribution:-

            Agaricus compestris (Mushroom) is a saprophytic basidiomycetes. It grows on dead organic substances such as rotten log of wood, humus, horse dump or any type of decaying organic matter. They are found abundantly in summer months especially during the rainy weather, it is fairly common in the grassy fields. Being edible, it is freely cultivated in France and some parts of South India. While Agaricus xanthodermus is very common and widely distributed in North America,Europe, West Asia including eastern Anatolia  and Iran, North Africa,  and Southern Africa. It has been introduced into Australia. It occurs in woods, lawns, gardens and hedgerows in autumn. This is a saprobic species.

General Characters of Agaricus

v  Agaricus is a genus of mushrooms containing both edible and poisonous species, with possibly over 300 members worldwide. The genus includes the common ("button") mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) and the field mushroom (Agaricus campestris), the dominant cultivated mushrooms of the West.

v  Members of Agaricus are characterized by having a fleshy cap or pileus, from the underside of which grow a number of radiating plates or gills on which are produced the naked spores.

v  They are distinguished from other members of their family, Agaricaceae, by their chocolate-brown spores.

v  Members of Agaricus also have a stem or stipe, which elevates it above the object on which the mushroom grows, or substrate, and a partial veil, which protects the developing gills and later forms a ring or annulus on the stalk.

v  Several origins of Agaricus have been proposed; it possibly derives "from Agarica of Sarmatica, a district of Russia"

v  The genus contains the most widely consumed and best-known mushroom today, A. bisporus, with A. campestris also being well known. The most notable inedible species is the yellow-staining mushroom, A. xanthodermus. All three are found worldwide.

v  The genus contains the most widely consumed and best-known mushroom today, A. bisporus, with A. campestris also being well known. The most notable inedible species is the yellow-staining mushroom, A. xanthodermus. All three are found worldwide.