Common Jolly
Among the many varied edible mushrooms, not everyone found universal recognition among the mushroom pickers, and even despite a whole list of their healing properties. One of such little-known representatives of the mushroom world can be considered ordinary funky, but what exactly is it remarkable for and what you should know about the rules for its collection and home cultivation - read in this article.
Description
Common jolly - this is the case when the appearance of a young and already adult plant has significant differences, which cannot but affect the name of the fungus. So, in different parts of Russia he is known as morel of smelly or gouty, upstart, indiscreet phallus, witch egg, damn egg and even shameful, which is also explained by the appearance of this representative of the mushroom family. What exactly he deserved such names can be guessed after studying his external characteristics.
Young fruit body
At a young age, when the fungus is about a week old, it is characterized by an egg-shaped with a diameter of 7-8 cm in the widest place. At the base, the mycelial filament is clearly visible. The coating layer of such a mushroom (peridium) is smooth-skinned, whitish or light beige . Underneath is a gelatinous, jelly-like part (ground oil), the aroma of which in many ways resembles the smell of radish.
Important! Only young mushrooms are considered edible, and if they start to produce a sickening smell and seem too large, it is better not to eat them in order to avoid poisoning and pain in the stomach.
During the ripening of the fungus, the covering membrane breaks into several separate blades and more closely resembles a film wrap or a piece of tissue in the lower part of the mushroom leg. From this point on, the fungus looks more like other, more standard mushrooms, consisting of a relatively long leg and a hat.
Sprouted fruit
Germination of the fruiting body is observed immediately, as soon as weather conditions become more favorable for this: high humidity at elevated air temperatures up to +25 ° C. First of all, the upper covering peel (peridium) is torn, after which an open Volvo forms, from which a cylindrical hollow receptacle (leg) grows, often reaching 15–20 cm in height. Usually it has a white color, but may be slightly yellow . In the upper part a small bell-shaped hat is formed (up to 7 cm high), with a disk-like hole in the middle part.
Did you know? In the botanical literature there is information that the growth rate of the described oyster reaches simply incredible values and can be up to 5 mm per minute. This value even exceeds the growth rate of the bamboo tree.
From this moment, the fungal body becomes penis-shaped, and during further maturation an olive-brown, sporiferous mucus is formed on the surface, with a clearly noticeable unpleasant odor . It is the smell that draws the attention of insects to the fungus, spreading the formed ellipsoid-cylindrical, smooth spores over the territory where new mushrooms will sprout very soon. The spore powder of the “immodest” fungus dissolved in the mucus is characterized by a yellow color, but it may also appear completely white.
Where the morel smelly grows
Common jolly - a characteristic inhabitant of broad-leaved forests, with rich on humus soil. It can grow both singly and form groups near beech, oak or large shrubs. Geographically, you can meet smelly morel in the forests of Europe, Siberia, the Caucasus and the Far East . In some regions of the Russian Federation, it is considered a rare fungus and is even listed in the Red Book, for example, in the Sverdlovsk region.
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How and when to collect
The period of active fruiting of the common fungus extends from May to September . But, in order to get the most tasty and healthy edible mushroom, it is better to go for it in August, choosing a sunny and moderately hot day for the trip. It was at this time that the highest activity of mycelium was observed and it was much easier to detect them.
As for the collection process, the discovered young ovoid mushrooms are taken out of the ground with a spatula or simply by hand, carefully twisting them out of the ground. Already “hatched” specimens can be cut or torn off, later placed in a wide container.
The collected mushrooms can be immediately used to prepare the first and second courses, or they can be dried and ground into powder, from which it is very convenient to prepare various tinctures for medical purposes in the future.
Important! Do not forget that the surface of the fruiting bodies is soft enough, so try not to take it with your fingers so as not to crush the mushroom. Small parts are not so convenient to clean and use when creating blanks.
Similar species
Common jolly has its own “doubles” in the forest, with which an inexperienced mushroom picker can confuse morel. First of all, we are talking about the hilarity of Hadrian, with a pink-purple color of peridium (it is white in a real upstart) and a pleasant yeast aroma. This mushroom is harmless, therefore it can be eaten in the same way as the "original".
False morel is another characteristic “double”, with a white hat and the absence of mucus on its surface and leg. It is these characteristics that distinguish it from a real fun. True, if confusion arises, nothing bad will happen: a false witch egg is not harmful to health, even when ingested.
Morel with a spongy red hat is also sometimes confused with a real jolly one, but both versions have a similar shape. Moreover, the sponge-like variety can also be eaten, even if this happens infrequently.
Food quality
Suitable options for use will be both mushrooms in the “prenatal” period, and recently sprouted specimens, which in some countries are delicacies (for example, in France they are eaten raw instead of radish or eat along with sour cream and salt). It is better not to consume fully sprouted morel in food, since the processes of decay and natural decay, which are extremely undesirable for the human body, are already activated inside its tissues .
Young copies can be stewed, fried and even canned, as a result of which they will be an excellent complement to side dishes, meat and fish dishes.
We recommend reading a delicious recipe for mushroom soup in a slow cooker.
Healing properties
The anticancer effect of the fungus is considered to be the most famous healing property of the fungus . It is often used in folk medicine for the preparation of infusions and tinctures for oncology, although no less effectiveness was noted during the treatment of viral hepatitis, infectious diseases of an inflammatory nature, arthrosis, high blood cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, diseases of the genitourinary system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as to normalize the thyroid gland and even eliminate infertility.
For the treatment of dermatological and internal ailments, both infusions on water and alcohol (vodka or moonshine) tinctures based on the use of fresh or dried mushrooms can be used. Tincture of vodka will be relevant for pain in the stomach, the presence of open wound surfaces, gout and kidney ailments .
As an external agent, it not only promotes faster healing of wounds, but also has an analgesic effect. Due to the large number of positive properties, ordinary funky is often equated with a valuable Japanese shiitake mushroom.
Find out also whether or not the morel mushroom is edible.
Ground oil application
- The use of the jelly-like component of young oars is appropriate to eliminate the following ailments:
- mastopathy;
- stomach ulcers;
- gastritis;
- kidney ailments;
- joint diseases;
- diseases of the liver, kidneys and pancreas;
- prostatitis and prostate adenomas, especially if they are accompanied by impaired potency.
In addition, the use of ground oil will also be appropriate during recovery from a stroke. A universal healing composition in all these cases can be considered a mixture of three tablespoons of dried mushrooms, drenched in flax or olive oil . After mixing, the container with the contents should be tightly closed with a lid and left to infuse for two weeks. Ready-to-use medicine will only have to strain through cheesecloth and shake each time before use.
Harm and contraindications
Young specimens of the fungus vulgaris have practically no contraindications to use, but at the same time they are not advised to be used by women during pregnancy and lactation, children under the age of twelve, and people who are hypersensitive to the constituent components of the fungus (if a person is found to be intolerant of other fungi, then most likely there will be the same reaction to morels).
Did you know? The first mention of common funky is contained in the treatises of Ancient Egypt, since the mushroom was widely appreciated by herbalists and alchemists of that time. Of the Russian researchers, the first attempts to study it were made by Razin A.N.
In addition, do not use alcohol tincture and people who have been treated for alcohol dependence, especially if there are problems with the liver.
The undesirable consequences of consuming common fungus include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and even diarrhea, not to mention dizziness, which also acts as one of the characteristic signs of poisoning. Any of these conditions may be characteristic of a relatively healthy person, so in any case, do not abuse mushrooms.
Growing at home
In order to provide yourself with mushrooms and not go to the forest, you can plant a witch's egg at home, creating optimal conditions for its productive growth and development in advance. Shaded and semi-shaded areas, hidden from natural precipitation and wind, will be an ideal place for planting, and as a good example, one can consider basements and sheds, with an air temperature of + 15 ... + 25 ° С.
Learn also about the features of the use of mustard mushroom.
A mixture of humus, fallen leaves, rotten vegetables, weeds and manure, preformed in the form of a 25-centimeter embankment (I can be in boxes), is suitable for the role of a quality substrate . The mycelium is evenly distributed on the surface of such soil and covered with clean garden soil, but only so that the layer thickness does not exceed 5–7 cm.
Video: How to grow mushroom fun
Caring for planted morels is simple, and all that is required is to water the plantings with a drip method at least once a week, and in damp weather and significant natural rainfall - even less so. When grown in open ground, it is completely optional to cover the mycelium for the winter, because it calmly tolerates almost any frost.
Also read our electronic magazine about growing mushrooms at home.
If possible, it is advisable to conduct planting events in early autumn, so that in the spring to collect the first crop of mushrooms. The lifespan of mycelium in the open air is 6–8 years, and indoors –– no more than 4–5.
With the correct collection and responsible approach to the further use of common fungus, you will be given a good chance to get a quality medicinal product or a delicious ingredient for any mushroom dishes, and all that remains is to decide in what form the described mushrooms will be more valuable.
