![]() Some mushrooms are too young or too old to produce spores. Ĭollecting and examination of a spore print is not always successful. In the field, spore print colour can sometimes be quickly determined by examining the top of stipes for spore "dust" on the nearby forest floor. For example, the lookalikes Russula crustosa and Russula virescens have yellowish and white spore deposits, respectively. Although the spore print is generally used to help identify the genus of a specimen, on occasion it can be used to help distinguish between similar species. The poisonous false parasol ( Chlorophyllum molybdites) has a green spore deposit. Spore prints are usually white to cream, black, or shades of red, purple, or brown. A mushroom cannot be identified from its spore print alone the spore print is only one characteristic used in making a taxonomic determination. Mycologists often use glass slides, which allow for quick examination of spores under a microscope. ![]() ![]() When the mushroom is removed, the colour of the spores should be visible. If the mushroom is to be preserved, a small hole can be made in the spore print paper rather than cutting the stipe. Some guides advise using a moisture-resistant enclosure, like a glass or jar, to contain the mushroom during printing. The mushroom is left for several hours, often overnight, in this manner. Method Ī spore print is made by placing the spore-producing surface flat on a sheet of dark and white paper or on a sheet of clear, stiff plastic, which facilitates moving the spore print to a darker or lighter surface for improved contrast for example, it is easier to determine whether the spore print is pure white or, rather, very slightly pigmented. It shows the colour of the mushroom spores if viewed en masse. It is an important diagnostic character in most handbooks for identifying mushrooms. The spore print is the powdery deposit obtained by allowing spores of a fungal fruit body to fall onto a surface underneath. A printable chart to make a spore print and start identification A 3.5-centimeter glass slide placed in middle allows for examination of spore characteristics under a microscope. Fungi spore print color Making a spore print of the mushroom Volvariella volvacea shown in composite: (photo lower half) mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper (photo upper half) cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print.
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