Species of fungus
Species of fungus
Mycena pura, commonly known as the lilac bonnet,[1] is a species of mushroom in the family Mycenaceae. First called Agaricus prunus in 1794 by Christian Hendrik Persoon, it was assigned its current name in 1871 by German Paul Kummer.[2] Mycena pura is known to bioaccumulate the element boron.[3]
Description
The Mycena pura is a tiny to medium-sized mushroom with a radish-like scent that can grow in a variety of hues, frequently with purple undertones. It inhabits places with rich soil that are both open and wooded. The cap is violet to purple when young but can change color with age. It can be convex, flat, or bell-shaped. The gills are pale or pinkish in color and get cross veins as they age. The stem is identical to the cap, hollow, and the same shade. There is no ring on the mushroom. It is widely dispersed across North America and can be found beneath conifers or occasionally hardwoods as decomposing forest litter. Given that it includes the toxin muscarine, it should not be consumed. Mycena pura does not appear to have any psychedelic characteristics. [4]
The cap ranges from 0.79 to 2.36 inches (2 to 6 cm) in size. The stem is 1.57 to 3.94 inches (4 to 10 cm) long and 0.08 to 0.24 inches (2 to 6 mm) thick.[4] The spores are white.[5]
Similar species include Clitocybe nuda, Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis, and Mycena purpureofusca.[5]
Bioactive compounds
[6]Mycena pura contains the chemical puraquinonic acid, a sesquiterpene. This compound induces mammalian cells (specifically, the cell line HL60) to differentiate into granulocyte- or macrophage-like cells. The fungus also contains the mycotoxin muscarine, and the antifungal metabolite strobilurin D, the latter previously found in Cyphellopsis anomala.[7] Despite the presence of these toxins,[8] some guides list M. pura as edible.[9]
