About Cantharellus cinereus Pers.
Also called Craterellus cinereus, this species of chanterelle mushroom has a scientific name Cantharellus cinereus Pers. Mushrooms are greyish-black, with thin, dark grey flesh that fades when the mushroom dries out. The full fruiting body can grow up to 12 centimetres (4+3⁄4 inches) tall. The cap measures 1.5–5 cm (1⁄2–2 inches) across, and takes an irregular funnel or infundibuliform shape. The cap edges are irregularly wavy with an inrolled margin. The cap is black when moist, and turns brownish when dry or as the mushroom ages. The stem is 2–8 cm long and up to 1.3 cm thick. It has a smooth to lightly velvety texture, and sometimes has a white woolly base. The false gill veins or ridges are dark grey, irregularly forked, widely spaced, and run decurrently down the stem. This mushroom produces a whitish spore print. Its spores are broadly elliptical, smooth, non-amyloid, and measure 7.5–10 by 5–6 μm. It has a mild taste and an indistinct odour. This is a mycorrhizal species that grows on soil covered with leaf litter in broadleaf woods, and it occurs either singly or in small groups. It is also found in coniferous forests across Europe. It has a widespread overall distribution but is an uncommon species. In western North America, it can be found growing in winter and early spring.
