Bolbitius titubans
Species of fungus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bolbitius titubans, commonly known as the Yellow Fieldcap, or informally as the sunny side up,[1][2] is a widespread species of gilled mushroom found on every continent excluding Antarctica. It belongs to the family Bolbitiaceae and is one of the most commonly recognizable mushrooms in open landscapes. This species was described by French mycologist Jean Baptiste Francois Pierre Bulliard in 1789 under the name Agaricus titubans.
| Bolbitius titubans | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Fungi |
| Division: | Basidiomycota |
| Class: | Agaricomycetes |
| Order: | Agaricales |
| Family: | Bolbitiaceae |
| Genus: | Bolbitius |
| Species: | B. titubans |
| Binomial name | |
| Bolbitius titubans (Bull.) Fr. | |
| Synonyms | |
| Bolbitius titubans | |
|---|---|
| Mycological characteristics | |
 | Gills on hymenium |
 | Cap is ovate or flat |
 | Hymenium is adnate or free |
 | Stipe is bare |
 | Spore print is brown |
 | Ecology is saprotrophic |
 | Edibility is edible, but unpalatable |
The Yellow Fieldcap is typically found in grassland habitats, meadows, and garden lawns where it fruits prolifically after periods of rain during the warm season. This mushroom can also be observed growing from straw, dung, and other decomposing organic matter highlighting its role as a saprotroph.
Despite the common name "sunny side up" this mushroom is considered inedible primarily due to its thin, fragile flesh, which deteriorates rapidly. This mushroom is not known to be toxic.
Description
The mushroom cap is 1.5–7 centimetres (1⁄2–3 in) across,[3] and grows from egg-shaped when young to broadly convex, finally ending up nearly flat.[4] The cap's color starts yellow or bright yellow, and fades to whitish or greyish with age.[5] The stem is 3–12 cm (1–4+1⁄2 in) tall and 2–6 millimetres (1⁄8–1⁄4 in) wide,[3] whitish-yellow with a fine mealy powdering, and very delicate.[6]
The fragile and soft gills are free from the stem or narrowly attached and fade from whitish or pale yellowish to rusty cinnamon with age.[4] They produce a cinnamon-brown spore print.[7] The spores are brown, elliptical, and smooth.[3]
Similar species
Similar species include Bolbitius aleuriatus,[3] B. coprophilus, B. lacteus, and Conocybe apala.[7]
Habitat and distribution
The species grows on grass, woodchips, compost, and dung. It is known to occur in North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and South America.[8]
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