Shaggy parasol

The Shaggy parasol, is the common name for two closely related species of mushrooms, Chlorophyllum rhacodes and C. brunneum, found in North America and Europe. The latter species is also found in Australia.

Classification
Chlorophyllum rhacodes and C. brunneum were formerly known under the name Macrolepiota rhacodes or Lepiota rhacodes, but based upon molecular phylogenetic evidence demonstrating a closer relationship to Chlorophyllum molybdites than to Macrolepiota procera, the name was changed. The subspecies Macrolepiota rhacodes var. brunneum was also elevated to species status as Chlorophylum brunneum.

Many older reference books spell the epithet "rachodes" rather than "rhacodes". The spelling "rachodes" has been used by Vittadini, when he first published this fungus in 1835, but is erroneous as the Greek word "rhakos" (piece of cloth) should be transcribed with "rhacos".

Features
The shaggy parasol is a large and conspicuous agaric, with thick brown scales and protuberances on its fleshy white cap. The gills and spore print are both white in colour. Its stipe is slender, coloured uniformly and bears no patterns. It is fleshy and when any tissue is cut, a reddish, or maroon discoloration occurs and a pungent odour is evolved. At its base, the stipe is very bulbous. As they mature, the egg-shaped caps become wider and flatter.

The stem of M. rhacodes grows to 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) tall. The cap grows to 3 to 8 inches (7.5 to 20 centimeters) across. The stipe has a diameter of 1 to 2 centimetres.

Edibility
The shaggy parasol is popularly praised as a choice edible. However, it is widely agreed, the mushroom contains toxins which can cause gastric upsets when the mushroom is consumed raw or undercooked and is potentially harmful to a few individuals even after cooking.

Furthermore, young shaggy parasols look identical to the poisonous Chlorophyllum molybdites, the mushroom that causes the most poisonings in North America yearly. Checking the spore print is essential to avoid disaster as C. molybdites'  print is green, and older specimens have slightly green gills. As a result, this is a mushroom that is not recommended for inexperienced hunters.

Similar species
The shaggy parasol is similar in appearance to the similarly edible parasol mushroom, Macrolepiota procera. The latter grows considerably larger however and is more likely to be found in the open than M. rhacodes which seems to prefer more shade and dislikes open pastures and fields. Another distinguishing feature is that M. rhacodes lacks the brown bands that are on the stem of M. procera.