Flammulina velutipes (Velvet Shank, Winter Mushroom)

The cold months of the year bring with them freezing temperatures and fewer daylight hours, so one would barely expect to find edible mushrooms growing wild. However, Flammulina velutipes is a great exception as it is commonly found throughout October until May. And so it clearly earns its common name ‘Winter mushroom’ as it is often seen fruiting throughout light snowfall and is even known to continue growth after it has thawed from freezing.

This saprotrophic species grows in dense clusters or tufts on hardwood trees or stumps. The reddish yellow to orangey-brown cap (2-7 cm in diameter) and a dark brown and densely velvety stem (up to 10 cm high) being yellowish coloured at the top make F. velutipes fairly easily recognisable. However, untrained eyes might confuse it with the deadly Galerina marginata species which often occupy similar habitats and are even found fruiting site by side. Galerina marginata possesses an annulus (ring) around the stem which can however, fall off or disappear when handled roughly. It is therefore recommended to make a spore print from your collected mushrooms to confirm identification. The spore print of F. velutipes is white while the spore print of G. marginata is brown.

Enokitake/ Enoki

Flammulina velutipes is known to be good edible fungus. This feature and its ability to be cultivated, has brought Enoki (the cultivated form of F. velutipes) to rank 5 of the most produced mushrooms worldwide. The cultivated form however has a very a-typical F. velutipes look, being white, small capped and long stemmed – characters induced by elevated levels of CO2 and lack of light. Naturally occurring ‘Winter mushrooms’ possess a rather tough stem so that often just the caps are chosen for cooking. Cultivation has bypassed this feature by producing more stretched stems which are therefore tender and delicate.

Enoki is highly rated in Japanese and Chinese cultures not just for its culinary properties but more for its medicinal features. It was shown to have certain chemical constituents (such as Flammulin, Proflammulin and Enokipodins) that are able to boost the immune system and are supposed to have anti-cancer agents as well as anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. This mushroom is furthermore thought to reduce food allergies and is said to cure stomach ulcers when regularly eaten.

Flammulina velutipes is furthermore thought to have myco-remediation potential: its ability for lignin decomposition in combination with long growing seasons and being well adapted to growing in cold seasons could be a good combination to degrade toxic chemicals in soil (such as Polychlorobiphensyls) which usually take a long time to decompose. However, few studies on this topic have been published so far.

Occurrence:

The fungus is commonly found from October until May and, in colder regions, from July until August.

Habitat:

Growing in clusters on deciduous logs including elm, willow, aspen and popular

Distribution:

Fairly common, widespread in Great Britain and Ireland as well as throughout Europe, North America and Asia.

Please remember to submit your records to your local recording group or via the Scottish Fungi online recording form.

By Peggy Ehrlich and Andy Taylor

December 2014

Photos of Flammulina velutipes by Andy Taylor

Flammulina velutipes distribution map

The National Biodiversity Network Gateway records from FRDBI andHBRG datasets are shown on the above map but note that more recent records may be available via the Gateway (see terms and conditions at http://data.nbn.org.uk). Data providers and the NBN Trust bear no responsibility for any further analysis or interpretation of the information in the map.

Note also that additional records may be available on the Association of British Fungus Groups CATE2 database, but these are not available via the NBN Gateway.