Cantharellus formosus
Cantharellus formosus, commonly known as the Pacific golden chanterelle, is a fungus native to the Pacific Northwest region of North America. It is a member of the genus Cantharellus along with other popular edible chanterelles. It was distinguished from the similar C. cibarius of Europe in the 1990s. It is orange to yellow, meaty and funnel-shaped. On the underside of the smooth cap, it has gill-like ridges that run down onto its stipe, which tapers down seamlessly from the cap. The false gills often have a pinkish hue. It has a mild, sweet odor. It is solitary to gregarious in coniferous forests, fruiting from July to December.
Cantharellus formosus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Fungi |
Division: | Basidiomycota |
Class: | Agaricomycetes |
Order: | Cantharellales |
Family: | Cantharellaceae |
Genus: | Cantharellus |
Species: | C. formosus |
Binomial name | |
Cantharellus formosus Corner (1966) | |
Cantharellus formosus | |
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Ridges on hymenium | |
Cap is infundibuliform | |
Hymenium is decurrent | |
Stipe is bare | |
Spore print is yellow to white | |
Ecology is mycorrhizal | |
Edibility is choice |
The Pacific golden chanterelle is the most important commercially harvested Cantharellus species in the Pacific Northwest. This chanterelle has been designated Oregon's state mushroom, due to its economic value and abundance.