Purple mushrooms
The purple spiderweb mushroom is a member of the Spiderweb family. You can meet purple mushrooms not only in deciduous forests, but also in conifers. They are harvested in late summer and early autumn. This species is little known to mushroom pickers, but fortunately not poisonous. It is listed in the Red Book.
Purple mushrooms
Appearance
The purple mushroom, according to the description, is the owner of a cap with a diameter of up to 15 cm. Its shape is convex, the edges are tucked up or completely omitted. With age, it becomes completely flat. The color is saturated, dark purple, scales are present.
The plates are wide, sparse, the color is dark, even bright purple.
The pulp is dense, blue in color, fades as the fungus grows. On a cut of age fungi, it is clearly visible that it becomes white. There is a nutty taste, almost no aroma.
The leg has a height of 6-12 cm, and a thickness of 1-2 cm. Its upper part has a fine-flaked coating, there is a seal at the bottom.
Brown spore powder. The spores are in the shape of an almond nut.
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
Cobwebs are characterized by the presence of two veils:
- General: its remains can be seen only in young specimens, but in old mushrooms it can, although rarely, remain in the form of a cobweb plaque on the surface of the cap.
- Private: in young mushrooms, it covers the lower surface of the cap, creating a microclimate for the normal development of spores, and in adults, it can be seen as a cobweb ring in the upper part of the stem and along the edges of the cap in the form of cobwebs.
In tone, the edible mushroom purple spider web is similar to a row. According to the description, the enveloping plate differs in a special veil of "cobwebs", hence the name. Cutting the pulp in air turns brown due to its interaction with oxygen.
Cobwebs are mycorrhizal fungi growing in coniferous and deciduous forests.
The purple mushroom has a cap up to 15 cm in diameter
Views
Today there are many types of cobwebs. The most popular are:
- Webcap white-purple: the hat of representatives of this species can reach a diameter of up to 12 cm, its edges are combined from below with a thick web-like veil. The pulp is white, and the mushroom itself is purple, hence the name. The aroma is pleasant. The mushroom is classified as conditionally edible.
- Webcap purple: caps of this species, up to 10 cm in diameter, have a convex or flat shape. If the weather is damp, it becomes slimy, shine appears. The mushroom is called so because the cap is covered with small scales, clearly visible on the cut. Also, the species has a thick brown stem. Conditionally edible mushroom, listed in the Red Book of Russia.
- The webcap is yellow: it looks so bright that it is often called the "triumphant parson".
Irina Selyutina (Biologist):
Among the cobwebs, there are also very dangerous species. So, the shiny webcap belongs to the deadly poisonous mushrooms. The orellanin toxin it contains is a slow-acting toxin that damages the kidneys, which is fatal as a result.This toxin is not destroyed by heat treatment.
When picking mushrooms, you need to be very careful so that a representative of a poisonous species, which can cause a lot of serious health problems, does not accidentally fall into the basket.
Beneficial features
Purple mushrooms contain many vitamins, as well as other trace elements, for example, zinc, manganese and copper. It also contains stearic acid and ergosterol.
This group has a lot of medicinal properties. They are used to create drugs for the fight against fungal diseases, as well as for the production of antibiotics and agents for the control of hypoglycemia. The mushroom is great for lowering glucose levels.
It quickly and efficiently relieves inflammation, improves immunity. With the help of vitamins contained in the composition, the mushroom stabilizes the digestive tract, protects the body from infectious diseases.
Means created on the basis of the webblock give strength and energy, protect from overwork and increased fatigue.
Contraindications
Many edible mushroom species have twins among the inedible ones, so care must be taken when harvesting.
Edible purple mushrooms can also threaten human life and health if they were collected near industrial plants or a busy highway. They quickly absorb toxic harmful substances from the environment. It is worth avoiding their use for those who have gastrointestinal diseases.
The use of a spider web is also contraindicated for those who have an allergic reaction to mushrooms.
Edible mushroom species have twins among inedible ones
Application
The spiderweb mushroom is used in various fields: in cooking, in scientific and folk medicine.
In cooking
Like other edible mushrooms, this species does not need to be boiled beforehand. It is used in the preparation of salads and fillings for savory pastries.
Chefs do not recommend this mushroom for hot dishes and snacks, because it is rarely found in nature and has almost no aroma.
It is eaten in salted or pickled form.
To properly pickle such mushrooms, adhere to the following rules:
- Before pickling, the mushroom is thoroughly washed, the cap is removed, cut into thick pieces, and boiled in salted water for about 40 minutes.
- Water (broth) must be drained.
- To marinate well, use vinegar, sunflower oil, spices. The mushrooms are placed in a container, all the ingredients for the marinade are mixed and the liquid is released.
- Banks must be thoroughly washed, mushrooms are placed in them and sterilized for about 15 minutes. Then they are rolled up and stored in a dark place at a cool temperature. Such conservation is suitable for a whole year.
In medicine
Mycelium extract of this species has anti-cancer effects. Studies have shown that the substance inhibits the growth of sarcoma by 90%. Provides a powerful cytotoxic effect on the cells of the human body of the tumor line and helps to inhibit the progression of breast cancer and sarcoma.
Also, the purple mushroom provides antibacterial effects on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. It inhibits the manifestation and development of fungal diseases.
Vitamin B1 is effective in the treatment of beriberi disease, provides a decrease in blood glucose. The possibility of creating dietary drugs based on this substance is also being investigated in order to control hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
The fungus is used to aggregate platelets and increase resistance to viral infections such as influenza.
In folk medicine
The constant use of this type of mushroom maintains the stability of the nervous system. They are used to control sugar in the body, treat rheumatism and spleen problems.
Conclusion
When collecting mushrooms, it is imperative to control which species to cut and which should not. There are more than 40 species in the Spiderweb family, many of them are poisonous, but they look like edible ones.If you pluck a poisonous one, there is a risk of death.
