Hebeloma gigaspermum

Hebeloma gigaspermum is a European species of mushroom in the family Hymenogastraceae.

Hebeloma gigaspermum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Fungi
Division:	Basidiomycota
Class:	Agaricomycetes
Order:	Agaricales
Family:	Hymenogastraceae
Genus:	Hebeloma
Species:	H. gigaspermum
Binomial name
Hebeloma gigaspermum Gröger & Zschiesch.

Hebeloma gigaspermum
float Mycological characteristics
	gills on hymenium
	cap is convex
	hymenium is emarginate
	stipe is bare
	spore print is brown
	ecology is mycorrhizal
	edibility: unknown

The species Hebeloma gigaspermum was first described only in 1981[1] and is externally similar to the much better known Hebeloma sacchariolens (being placed in subsection Sacchariolentia of the genus). It is not uncommon in Northern Europe and until 1981 examples were probably simply considered to be H. sacchariolens.[2]

Like the latter it is a nondescript clay brown or ochre mushroom with somewhat viscid cap, up to about 5 cm (2.0 in) in diameter, and has a strong sweet odour which has been likened to orange blossom or amyl acetate.[3] It is distinguished from H. sacchariolens by

• its ecology with willow and alder in boggy ground (as opposed to forests and gardens with broad-leaved trees in general), and
• its large spore size of 13–17 × 7–9 μm (as opposed to 11–14 × 6–8 μm).[2]

The name gigaspermum means "giant-spored".

The edibility of the mushroom is not known for certain, but Hebeloma contains poisonous species and it is not to be recommended for culinary use.

References

1. Gröger F, Zschieschang G. (1981). "Hebeloma-Arten mit sacchariolens-Geruch". Zeitschrift für Mykologie (in German). 47: 195–210.
2. Knudsen, Henning; Jan Vesterhout (2008). Funga Nordica. Copenhagen: Nordsvamp. p. 816.
3. Bon M. The Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain and North-Western Europe. Hodder & Stoughton. ISBN 0-340-39935-X.. Bon does not include H. gigaspermum but gives details of H. sacchariolens, especially the smell.