Agaricus is the generic name of a group of Basidiomycota fungi belonging to the Agaricaceae family that are characterized by developing fruiting bodies in the form of fleshy and generally large mushrooms. They have a hat that changes from hemispherical to slightly flattened, with a ring on the stipe and separate blades from the stipe.
The genus was originally described by Carlos Linneo and currently groups about 300 species around the world. They are saprophytes, generally humicultural and with relatively high nitrogen requirements. Some species develop among grasses, while others do so in forests or other more specific habitats.
Some of the species ascribed to this genus are edible, including the mushroom (Agaricus bisporus), the most cultivated species of mushroom worldwide, with a production that for 2009 exceeded 4 million tons. The genus is also home to some toxic species, including Agaricus bitorquis Y Agaricus xanthodermus.
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The fruiting body of the species of Agaricus it is generally fleshy and large in size. The hat changes shape over time, being initially hemispherical, and then becoming slightly flattened after a certain period of life of the organism has elapsed. They are usually whitish or brownish species.
The hymenium has numerous free blades, that is, not attached to the stipe. These blades are fleshy and light-colored in recent fruiting, which later acquire pinkish tones and finally, in senescent organisms, turn into colors derived from the blackish-brown tone..
The ring is always present, it is light in color, it tends to acquire different levels of development, it always separates easily from the hat and it can be persistent or fall off in older specimens..
The stipe is usually uniformly cylindrical, although it can also widen or narrow at the base. Does not present back.
The meat is firm, compact, generally whitish in color and can change color to the touch and / or when cut, acquiring a reddish or yellowish coloration of different levels of intensity depending on the species. The smell ranges from very pleasant to quite unpleasant.
The gender Agaricus it is taxonomically located within the Agaricaceae family, Agaricomycetes class, Basidiomycota division. The taxonomy of this genus is complicated because, although it was coined by Carlos Linnaeus in 1735, it was used to cover a great diversity of terrestrial fungi provided with plates and feet..
This name was later used with the interpretation that Fries made of it in 1821. Later Karsten makes an amendment of the genre, but excludes Agaricus campestris. Additionally, some mycologists have created new genera such as Psalliot, but including in it the type species of the genus Agaricus.
Due to all this, the authorship of the genre, as well as its valid definition, are still controversial. However, most taxonomists agree that this genus currently contains about 300 validly described species worldwide, some of which may additionally present varieties.
Fungi of the genus Agaricus they can grow in different habitats depending on the species. Many of them prefer open meadows and fields with abundant grasses, others prefer more wooded areas. Some grow under cypress trees and other tree species in the Cupressaceae family.
Organisms of the species Agaricus minieri they are very specific in terms of their habitat, thriving only in dunes. Some species grow better directly on plant debris and others are common on the roadsides.
The gender Agaricus it is cosmopolitan and has representatives on all continents, although it is more frequent in the northern hemisphere. The common mushroom has a wide distribution worldwide and has been introduced for cultivation purposes in many countries where it did not originally exist..
The common mushroom is the best known representative of the genus and the species of mushroom that has the highest production worldwide, because it is highly appreciated in the kitchen and because it has very important nutritional and medicinal properties. Its cultivation is carried out both artisanal and commercially.
There are several varieties of the species, of which the most common are A. bisporus var hortensis, which is the one that is generally marketed as common mushroom and Agaricus bisporus var brunnescens that receives the commercial name of portobello or crimini, according to their size and their level of development.
This fungus can reach up to 18 cm in diameter of the hat, but generally does not exceed 13 cm. Its surface is covered by a powdery cuticle in which scales and spots can appear with age.
Fungus whose fruiting body has a cap up to 12 cm in diameter and a foot 7 cm high, with a simple ring. It is an edible species with a very good taste as well as being rich in vitamins and minerals, but it provides very few calories, which is why it is very suitable to help lose weight.
This species, despite having better organoleptic qualities than the common mushroom, is not cultivated commercially due to its long and complex life cycle and because the fruiting body has a very short duration..
Additionally, this species has a drawback, since it can be easily confused with some toxic species, and even deadly, for which its consumption is not recommended if you are not sure of its identity..
Also edible species that is distributed in northern Europe and North America. Its fruiting body appears in autumn and presents a hat up to 10 cm in diameter and a foot 4 cm high..
It is characterized because its fruiting body has a convex cap that in some mature specimens acquires the appearance of a cube with a flattened, dry and scaly surface and that can reach up to 15 cm in diameter. Another important characteristic is that the foot has a yellow coloration.
This species has a wide distribution in the northern hemisphere, it grows associated with grasses, decomposing leaves and coniferous trunks. It gives off an unpleasant smell and its flesh turns yellow when cut.
Agaricus xanthodermus it is toxic, although it does not cause death. Among the effects of its intake are gastrointestinal disorders such as abdominal cramps, nausea and diarrhea. Other symptoms of poisoning that appear less frequently are drowsiness, headaches and dizziness.
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