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Pavement Mushroom
A squat, very firm white Agaricus of hard-packed urban soil that often matures underground and can push up through asphalt or between paving slabs. Its partial veil typically leaves a double, sheathing ring, the source of the epithet bitorquis ('two collars'). It has been cultivated commercially since 1968 as a warmer-growing alternative to the button mushroom.
Edible and well regarded, with firm flesh, though wild specimens are often gritty or worm-ridden. It can bioaccumulate heavy metals, especially lead, from polluted sites, so avoid roadside, kerbside and other urban collections. The poisonous Yellow Stainer (A. xanthodermus) turns chrome yellow when the stem base is cut and smells of ink or phenol. Separate from deadly white Amanitas by the brown gills and spore print and lack of a volva.
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Mycology is an evolving science: names, classifications and safety information change as research advances. Entries are compiled from cited sources and reviewed, but may be incomplete or out of date — check the sources, and never rely on this library alone to identify or eat a mushroom.
