About Entoloma abortivum (Berk. & M.A.Curtis) Donk
Entoloma abortivum, commonly known as the aborted entoloma or shrimp of the woods, is a mushroom belonging to the Entolomataceae fungi family. It was first named Clitopilus abortivus by Miles Joseph Berkeley and Moses Ashley Curtis, and received its current scientific name from Dutch mycologist Marinus Anton Donk in 1949. This species has a grayish cap that can grow up to 8 centimetres (3.1 inches) wide. Its stem reaches up to 9 centimetres long and 1.4 centimetres (1/2 inch) thick. It has a mealy scent and produces a pinkish spore print. It was once thought that the honey mushroom Armillaria mellea parasitized Entoloma abortivum, but research now shows the relationship is inverted: Entoloma abortivum is the parasite that feeds on honey mushroom. In Mexico, it is called Totlcoxcatl, which translates to 'turkey wattle', a name referencing its irregular shape. Caution is required when identifying this mushroom before consumption, as it resembles the poisonous species Entoloma sinuatum.
