The fungus raincoat and its varieties previously belonged to the raincoat family, now they are part of the mushroom family. This species may seem rather unusual, but it has long been known to mushroom pickers. There are a large number of its "popular names": bee sponge, grandfather tobacco, dust maker, tobacco mushroom and others.
Varieties
There are several types of raincoat mushrooms. Here are the most common ones:
- giant raincoat, or giant golovach;
- prickly - also known as needle-like and spike-like;
- meadow;
- brown (umber);
- pear-shaped.
These mushrooms have a large body, mostly flattened spherical in shape. As they mature, they acquire an elastic white flesh with a pleasant smell and taste. The peculiarity of the raincoat is that it must be eaten until its white color begins to darken. After this, poison begins to stand out.
Above is just a small list of mushrooms, which are called raincoats. The most common is a giant raincoat.
Areas of growth
Where do raincoat mushrooms grow? They are found on almost all continents, with the exception of Antarctica. If we talk about our country, they grow throughout Central Russia, as well as in the Caucasus and the Far East. Mushrooms are common in temperate climatic zones of Russia, especially in peat-saturated soils.
Often, raincoat mushrooms can be found on pastures, fields, meadows, forest outskirts and in small parks. Usually they are located in the so-called rounded glades around trees and shrubs.
Description of the first variety
The description of the giant raincoat fungus begins with the fact that it is also called the “giant golovach”. It differs from ordinary mushrooms of this type in a very large flattened and spherical body, from 25 to 60 cm in cross section. Its weight can reach 10 kg. The mushroom has a white shell, smooth to the touch, which changes over time, loses its density and juiciness.
It is considered one of the famous mushrooms of this group and is popular due to its size and taste. The giant raincoat has a spherical shape, most often elongated, with virtually no stalk. Its size can be compared with the size of the ball, but this is only in some cases.
The raincoat mushroom of this variety has a very thin, smooth white skin, which over time acquires a yellowish, gray or reddish hue.
Its flesh is also white, with a dense texture and a pleasant mushroom smell. However, over time, it turns into brown dust with a reddish tint, which subsequently flies out through the hole in the mushroom cap.
Prickly raincoat
It also belongs to the champignon family and the genus of raincoats. In common people, it has the name "pearl raincoat." The fruiting body of this type of fungus is often pear-shaped, and an oval flattened one also occurs.
The main distinguishing feature of the prickly raincoat is the spikes, thanks to which it got its name. They are located throughout the body of the fungus, the largest are on the hat.
The spiky raincoat differs from its counterparts in that its flesh is dense and tough enough, it tends to crumble when pressed. This type of mushroom is usually white, but eventually begins to darken, acquiring a brown hue.
Raincoat meadow
It also has the name "field raincoat." This variety is distinguished by a white-olive shade with grayish notes. The meadow raincoat is characterized by the shape of a ball with a flattened tip. The body of the mushroom itself is a dark white or gray-brown hue. Spikes in the meadow raincoat are also present, but disappear as they grow due to precipitation and other natural phenomena.
In the description of the raincoat mushroom of this variety, it can be noted that on his hat, like all representatives of this species, there is a hole through which spores are thrown out for further propagation of the mycelium.
Although the cap is covered with small spikes in the meadow raincoat (as in the prickly one), they do not have a pronounced volume and size. It compares favorably with its prickly fellow in that it has a juicy flesh that tastes good both in fried and marinated form. Growing, the meadow raincoat reaches a height of 1.5 to 3 cm, the diameter of the cap is from 2 to 5 cm.
Raincoats are false
The false raincoat mushroom for a long time belonged to real raincoats, and later to champignon ones. However, as a result of phylogenetic studies, it was found that this species belongs to the family of fleas.
The most famous representatives of false raincoats are ordinary raincoat and wart. The fruiting body of these fungi is most often located on the surface of the earth. Sometimes underground fruiting bodies are laid, which then still surface. False raincoats have large spherical hats and irregular shaped stems.
These mushrooms are of several types - "peridium" and "glebe". The first are distinguished by a dense texture, a peel interspersed with seals in the peduncle and hat. Young false raincoats are white, which is what misleads the mushroom pickers, who take them for ordinary ones. The second is distinguished by the fact that they have a rigid dense texture with a pale white color, which, as it ripens, becomes gray-black and also black-purple.
Resemblance to the elongated golovach
The spiky raincoat is similar to the elongated golovach. It has a pear-shaped form, and when it grows, it reaches a height of about 8 cm. The young golovacha oblong fruit body has a white color, a warty hat. As it grows, it acquires a yellow-brown or brownish color and becomes smooth.
Young golovachki on a hat do not have openings for the exit of spores, like raincoats. Growing up, they lose their hats, and only one stalk remains. These mushrooms grow from July to early November, mainly in deciduous and coniferous forests. They, like raincoats, are edible and have a pleasant taste.
Usually they begin to grow abundantly immediately after rains. But they are not recommended to be collected in such weather, because after a few hours they will lose their shape and become unsuitable for eating.
Relative to the orange puddle
The spiky raincoat is also a relative of the orange false raincoat. In this fungus, the fruit body is similar to a tuber, however, it is elongated on top. Growing, false raincoat orange reaches a height of 10 cm. Its upper part has a buffy or yellowish tint.
As it grows, it cracks, and “warts” appear on it. Below, this mushroom is narrowed and wrinkled, and its flesh is white. Raincoat Orange is an inedible mushroom, however, some lovers add a small amount to other mushrooms, since when cooking it has an aroma remotely resembling truffles.
Eating
Often you can hear the question: is the mushroom raincoat edible or inedible? This mushroom does not belong to the highest category in taste, however, it has a rather refined and pleasant taste. Raincoats are undeservedly forgotten in the preparation of various mushroom dishes. So, it is edible, but it is necessary to find out very important details before eating it.
Before you start to cook a raincoat mushroom, you need to find out exactly where it grew, since this variety is extremely susceptible to toxins. The place of growth directly affects both the taste and the content of substances harmful to human health. Therefore, it is not recommended to collect them near the roads. Nevertheless, they have no toxic analogues - and this is another noticeable advantage over their "noble relatives."
Only young mushrooms can be taken for food, as they do not have a very high content of toxins, and they are not so hard. Raincoats are cleaned from the top layer, because it has an unpleasant taste and gives the mushrooms rigidity.
The subtleties of cooking
While cooking raincoat dishes, a smell of wood may appear, but it disappears after cooking. In terms of taste, meadow raincoats with white color are considered leaders. They are somewhat reminiscent of meat, but they are recommended only for frying and pickling - when cooked, they become stiff.
The main advantage in the preparation of raincoats is that they do not need pre-treatment, for example boiling or soaking, like many types of “noble mushrooms”. So that the raincoats do not lose their pleasant mushroom aroma, before cooking they do not need to be washed, it will be enough to clean them with a dry knife.
Healing properties
After the scientists discovered the properties of the raincoat mushroom, it was found that various beneficial substances are present in them. In their composition they contain calvacin, which has antibiotic and anticarcinogenic properties. Pure mycelial cultures obtained from raincoats are highly active in the fight against tumors.
Preparations made on the basis of a raincoat contribute to the elimination of substances such as radionuclides, heavy metals, toxic chlorine and fluorine compounds from the body. They also help to transfer the effects of helminthiases, dysbiosis, hepatitis and acute renal inflammation. The healing properties of a raincoat have long been widely used by both traditional healers and official medicine.
Use in medicine
Interesting facts about the fungus raincoat include the fact that it is able to fight such a serious disease as cancer. Mushroom pulp is used internally and externally. Compresses are made from it and applied to affected areas of the skin, for example, to ulcers that appear with skin cancer.
Inside, take a decoction or alcohol tinctures from a raincoat as an anti-inflammatory agent for chronic tonsillitis and laryngeal tumors, kidney diseases, leukemia, to suppress the development and spread of malignant tumors.
Traditional medicines are widely used, based on spores of Langermania, the closest relative of raincoat mushrooms. These medicines effectively lower blood viscosity and high blood pressure. They are useful for diseases of the stomach, the entire digestive tract and angina pectoris, improve the immune system.
Mushrooms are also used for diseases of the genitourinary system and bladder cancer. Spores of a raincoat mushroom are applied to bleeding surfaces of the skin to stop bleeding, anesthesia and better regeneration of the skin, healing of malignant ulcers. Spore-based medications are used to treat diseases of the lymphatic and endocrine systems, with diabetes, adrenal dysfunction, tuberculosis, asthma and pleurisy.
Preparation of alcohol tinctures
To make tinctures, you will need only two ingredients: mushrooms, raincoats and alcohol. For the treatment of cancer use tincture prepared as follows.
One glass of spore powder is placed in a jar, half a liter of vodka or 80% alcohol is added. The dishes are tightly covered with a lid and placed in a dark, cool and dry place for 25 days. After this time, the jar with tincture is thoroughly shaken, and then filtered. The resulting composition is taken 3 times a day before meals, 1 tablespoon.
Preparation of infusion on the water
Not only tincture is prepared from spore powder, but also tincture. The second is different in that it needs to use spore powder and water. To do this, take one dessert spoon of raincoat spores and fill it with a glass of water at a temperature of 70–80 ° C. After that, the mixture is infused in a glass or porcelain ware covered with a lid for an hour. Take an infusion of 100 ml in small sips before meals.
It helps with diseases of the endocrine and lymphatic systems, postpartum hemorrhages; used for the prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and urinary system.
Mushrooms raincoats are unique carriers of useful substances that help to cope with various severe ailments. In addition, from raincoats you can cook a large number of tasty and healthy dishes that will appeal to even the most demanding gourmets.