Cantharellus lutescens
Cantharellus lutescens
The yellow foot or chanterelle (Cantharellus lutescens (Pers.) Fr., 1821) is a mushroom belonging to the Cantharellaceae family.
Systematic –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Fungi Kingdom,
Phylum Basidiomycota,
Class Agaricomycetes,
Cantharellales Order,
Family Cantharellaceae,
Genus Cantharellus,
Species C. lutescens.
The term is basionym:
– Merulius lutescens Persoon, 1801.
The terms are synonymous:
– Cantharellus aurora (Batsch) Kuyper;
– Cantharellus xanthopus (Persoon) Duby;
– Craterellus lutescens (Fr.) Fr..
Etymology –
The term Cantharellus is the diminutive of cántharus, cup, cup and this from the Greek κάνθᾰρος kántharos cup with two handles: similar to a small cup, due to the shape of the carpophore.
The specific epithet comes from the Latin term “lutescens”, tending towards yellow, I become yellow.
Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Cantharellus lutescens is a mushroom that grows in a vast area that includes: central-northern Europe, the Alps, central-northern Apennines and North America.
Its characteristic habitat is that of coniferous forests, where it grows on moist soil in large groups. It is also found in peat bogs and beech forests with acid soil.
The growth period goes from June to October but can sometimes delay the first appearance, in the absence of cold rains and persistent hot-dry climate.
Recognition –
Cantharellus lutescens is a small mushroom, with a cap with a diameter of 1.5-6 cm, initially convex, then umbilicated, strongly depressed, funnel-shaped, hollow in the center of the cap and reaching the bottom of the stem; the margin is curved for a long time, thin, irregularly sinuous, lobed, wavy, sometimes ruffled.
The surface of the cuticle is fibrous, with radial fibrils, yellow-brown or red-brown in color, with a lighter margin.
The hymenium is formed by low veins with numerous anastomosed branches, wrinkled, sometimes almost indistinct, running along the stem; the color is more or less dark yellow-red-pink or orange.
The stem is 2-6 × 0.4-0.9 cm, irregularly rounded, compressed and furrowed longitudinally, flared at the top and tapered at the bottom, hollow to the bottom, yellow-red, yellow-orange in colour, with the lighter base, almost whitish.
The meat is small, fibrous, elastic, tenacious; pale yellowish in color; fruity smell and mild flavour.
The spore powder is cream colored. The spores are ellipsoidal to oval in shape, smooth, guttulate, white in mass, 9.9-11.2 × 5.6-7.7 µm.
The basidia are strongly clavate, tetrasporic, with buckle joints at the base, 70-84 × 9.8-11.2 µm.
Cultivation –
Cantharellus lutescens is a mushroom that is not cultivated.
Customs and Traditions –
Cantharellus lutescens is a mushroom known by various common names, some typically local; among these we remember: chanterelle, fifes, cantolle (Italian) chanterelle lumi-neuse, chanterelle jaune (French); camagroc, rossinyolic, camasec, rebozuelo anaranjado, rebozuelo amarillo, trompeta amarilla, engula de monte, saltsaperretxico hori; yellow foot (English).
A similar species is the Cantharellus tubaeformis, excellent, edible, with which it is frequently exchanged. The latter has a hymenophore formed by clearly visible pseudolamellae, brownish, yellowish-brown colours, with the margin fading to ocher, yellowish gray flesh with a very different smell, similar to moss.
Other species with which it can be confused are Craterellus melanoxeros, with yellow-greenish pileus, more evident pseudolamellae and in particular presenting blackening of the surfaces and flesh. Craterellus ianthinoxanthus, with pink-bluish hymenophore and yellowish pileus, without blackening. Finally, it is decidedly different from Craterellus cinereus and Craterellus cornucopioides, with diffusely and uniformly blackish surfaces.
C. lutescens grows in humid places mainly in coniferous forests, but does not disdain broad-leaved ones either, the largest specimens are found in the midst of moss, probably due to greater soil humidity and a lower possibility of being identified, thus having more time to grow.
It is an excellent edible mushroom, both dried and fresh as a single dish or sauce (both white and red) for pasta, risotto, polenta and second courses.
Preparation Method –
Cantharellus lutescens is an excellent edible mushroom, although of little yield but much sought after for its aromatic scent.
Thanks to its intense aromatic-fruity smell, it is very suitable for the preparation of excellent omelettes or Easter cakes with a mix of mushrooms. Also suitable for compotes or mixed mushroom stews but also consumed alone or in sauces for pasta, risotto, polenta and second courses.
Its intense flavor is also preserved during drying and, once dried, it can be consumed either whole, dried or powdered, or by slightly refreshing it with warm water.
Guido Bissanti
Sources
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility.
– Cetto B., 2008. Mushrooms from life, Saturnia, Trento.
– Pignatti S., 1982. Flora d’Italia, Edagricole, Bologna.
– Conti F., Abbate G., Alessandrini A., Blasi C. (ed.), 2005. An annotated checklist of the Italian vascular flora, Palombi Editore.
Photo source:
– https://observation.org/photos/76315227.jpg
Attention: Pharmaceutical applications and food uses are indicated for informational purposes only, they do not represent in any way a medical prescription; we therefore decline any responsibility for their use for healing, aesthetic or food purposes.