Agaricus campestris It is a Basidiomycota fungus of the Agaricaceae family. It grows in meadows and grasslands, feeds on decaying organic matter, and requires nitrogen-rich soils to thrive properly. Can grow solo or in elf rings.
It is characterized by the fact that it has a cap that can reach up to 12 cm in diameter, with separate blades that present a pinkish coloration in young organisms and then darken. It also has a foot that can reach up to 7 cm high by 2 cm thick and with a simple ring.
It is an edible mushroom highly appreciated by mushroom lovers, rich in vitamins and minerals and low in carbohydrates, but it can be confused with some very toxic species..
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Agaricus campestris presents a hat that, as in the case of most mushrooms of the genus Agaricus, it will change shape over time. Initially it is globose, hemispherical in shape and later it flattens out until it becomes convex extended at maturity..
The diameter is quite variable and can reach up to 12 cm in larger specimens, however, it generally does not exceed 10 cm. It has a silky, white, shiny cuticle, easily detachable, with more or less appreciable creamy gray scales.
The margins of the hat may have very excess fringes and that represent the remains of the veil.
The hymenium contains many free, ventruded, tightly arranged laminae. Its coloration will change over time, initially it is pinkish white to bright pink and later it darkens as the spores develop. The basidia are tetrasporic.
The stem is short, it can reach up to 7 cm in length and 2 cm in diameter, it is cylindrical although somewhat thickened at the base, easily detachable from the hat. Its texture is smooth and its color is white. It has a membranous ring also white, which becomes fleeting with time, but always leaves traces.
The flesh or constituent tissue is compact, firm, with a sweet taste and a pleasant smell, reminiscent of prunes. Its coloration is white, acquiring slight reddish tones when cut.
The spore is dark brown in color and the spores are elongated, ovoid measuring 7 to 8 µm by 4 to 4.5 µm wide, with a smooth surface..
The Agaricaceae family, to which it belongs Agaricus campestris, it is taxonomically located in the Basidiomycota Division and the Agaricomycetes class. The genre to which it belongs (Agaricus), was described by Carlos Linnaeus in 1735 and is currently represented by more than 300 validly described species.
The species was originally described by Carlos Linneo in 1753 and temporarily relocated to the genus Psalliot by Lucien Quelet in 1872. Numerous varieties of this species have been described, some of which have subsequently been recognized as different species..
Example of these species that were previously believed to be varieties of A. campestris They are A. bernardii, A. bisporus Y A. silviculture. Other varieties that are still recognized as such are, for example, A. campestris var equestris, Agaricus campestris var. squamulosus Y A. campestris var. fuscopilosellus.
As indicated by its specific epithet, A. campestris It is a species that lives preferably in fields and grasslands; and it rarely grows in wooded areas. Its fruiting body can appear both in spring and autumn, in solitary form or it can grow in elf rings.
It needs land with abundant nitrogen for its development. It can grow in gardens and squares and also near cultivated land where nitrogen fertilizers are used. Currently it is not very abundant in some areas, mainly due to environmental degradation, but it is still very abundant in other localities..
This species is cosmopolitan and is distributed in North America, Asia, Europe, North Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
The sexual reproduction of Agaricus campestris is typical of Agaricus, with heterothallic crosses, dikaryotic mycelia and production of haploid spores after a process of karyogamy (fusion of haploid nuclei) and meiotic division that occurs in the basidia.
Agaricus campestris It is an obligate saprophytic species, that is, it requires the presence of decomposing organic matter for its food. It is also a nitrophilic species, that is, it requires that the soils be rich in nitrogen to be able to develop.
Digestion in this species, as in other species of saprophytic fungi, is extracellular, that is, the fungus secretes into the soil the enzymes necessary to degrade organic matter from dead organisms, plant debris, excrement, etc. In this way, simple molecules are produced from other more complex ones..
After degrading the food, the fungus proceeds to absorb part of the digested material, always remaining in the soil, simple molecules that can be assimilated by plants and that were not used by the fungus..
In this way, fungi play an important role in the nutrient cycle of the ecosystem, providing nutrients for plants and fertilizing the soil while feeding..
It is an edible species, even raw. It is perhaps the most sought after and consumed wild mushroom in the world, although it is not commercially cultivated due to its long life cycle and the short duration of its fruiting body..
Its flavor is very pleasant and even some people consider it better tasting than the cultivated mushrooms of the species Agaricus bisporus. It is advisable to collect and consume young organisms, which are recognized because their sheets are light in color..
In the case of having mature organisms, that is to say that they have dark colored sheets, these sheets should be removed before preparing and consuming the mushrooms, not only because of their unpleasant appearance and poor gastronomic quality but also because their intake can cause digestive problems in sensitive people.
It is also not advisable to consume organisms harvested on land where agrochemicals are used or near busy asphalt roads, due to their ability to accumulate compounds that can be toxic..
This species is consumed in a wide variety of ways, from raw in salads and garnishes to highly elaborate dishes, as well as stews and stir-fries. It is also highly appreciated in vegetarian cuisine..
While is true that Agaricus campestris It is completely edible, even raw, it is a species that can be confused with other species, including some very toxic, so it is important to make an exact identification of the species before eating it. Among the toxic species that can be confused with A. campestris they find each other:
These species are very toxic and are perhaps among the easiest to confuse with A. campestris. The most important difference is that the first three always have their white plates and have volva. However, it must be taken into consideration that the volva may be partially or totally hidden in the sediment..
Unlike Agaricus campestris, This species quickly turns yellow to the touch and cut, gives off an aniseed smell and has two rings.
These three toxic species turn reddish when touched and cut, which is not the case with Agaricus campestris. further, A. bitorquis has two rings and the other two species differ from A. campestris due to its habitat, since the former is typical of coniferous forests and A. littoralis grows in mountains and grasslands.
This species is very similar in its external morphology to Agaricus campestris, however, in adult organisms its hat is larger and more cubic in shape than that of A. campestris. In addition, this species gives off a strong and unpleasant iodine aroma and the stem is shorter and yellow at the base..
This species gives off a very characteristic flour smell and its foot lacks a ring.
Lepiota naucina has a much longer and thinner foot than that of Agaricus campestris.
This species, like other species of mushrooms, has a high water content, which can represent up to 90% of the total weight of the mushroom. In addition, its carbohydrate content is low, while that of minerals and vitamins is high, especially vitamins B2 (riboflavin) and B3 (niacin).
These qualities, and the feeling of satiety produced by its intake and its low caloric intake make this species widely used in diets, or for feeding overweight people. Vegetarians also use it a lot.
Among the minerals that this species presents in appreciable quantities is selenium, with antioxidant properties that help reduce risks of heart disease and prostate cancer. Potassium, also present in the fungus, counteracts fluid retention and facilitates nerve transmission.
Additionally, it is rich in phosphorus, an element of great importance for its role in the hardening of teeth, as well as in the proper functioning of the mind..
Researchers have found that aqueous extracts of A. campestris have the property of improving the body's insulin production, and that in tests in vitro, they have insulin-like effects on glucose metabolism. However, further research is still required to understand the process..
They have also found that these extracts have antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal activities..
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