Mushroom Monday: Wrinkled Peach Mushroom (Rhodotus palmatus)

Mushroom Monday: Wrinkled Peach Mushroom (Rhodotus palmatus)

Today’s Mushroom Monday mushroom is the wrinkled peach mushroom (aka rosy veincap) (Rhodotus palmatus).  It’s a unique mushroom with a distinct look.  Learn more about it in our latest TrueTreeTalk post.

What do Wrinkled Peach Mushrooms Look Like?

The Cap

The cap of the mushroom changes in shape as it grows.  It starts out generally spherical, and then becomes convex as it grows, with its margins rolling in.  Eventually it becomes almost flat.  At maturity, its size is around two to four inches across.

The cap’s color also changes.  It starts out pink and then develops a peach color.

The hairless cap has a skin on it called a pellicle.  It is jelly-like, thick, and wrinkled.  The cap’s flesh is white and rubbery.

Although the ridges are a distinguishing feature of the mushroom, they can vary between mushrooms.  Some have deep ridges, some shallow, and some none at all.

The Gills

The mushroom’s gills can be joined together or free.  They are pink in color and there is space between them.

The Stem

The stem has a pinkish color but it is muted compared to the cap’s color.  It can range from around a little over an inch tall to around two and three quarters inches tall.  It has small fibers on it and no ring.  Interestingly, red liquid can be secreted from it.  The mycelium at the base of the stem is white.

Where can Wrinkled Peach Mushrooms be Found?

Wrinkled peach mushrooms can be found in Europe, North America, and Asia.  They can be alone or in scattered groups and generally grow around elm trees, but can also be found around a variety of hardwoods.

What Kind of Mushrooms are Wrinkled Peach Mushrooms?

Wrinkled peach mushrooms are saprophytic.  They are associated with dead elms but can be associated with other trees as well (hardwoods). 

What Makes Wrinkled Peach Mushrooms Unique?

Wrinkled peach mushrooms are unique.  In the genus Rhodotus, there is only one species, palmatus (this means it is monotypic).  That makes the wrinkled peach mushroom one of a kind.

If you liked learning about wrinkled peach mushrooms, check out our other Mushroom Monday posts on our TrueTreeTalk blog.  Follow us on Facebook to keep up with these and other posts.

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