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Fungi of Zihuatanejo

KINGDOM FUNGI

-Fungi Including Lichens ( Kingdom Fungi)

-Basidiomycete Fungi (Phylum Basidiomycota)

-Higher Basidiomycetes (Subphylum Agaricomycotina)

-Mushrooms, Bracket Fungi, Puffballs, and Allies (Class Agaricomycetes)

-Subclass Agaricomycetidae

-Common Gilled Mushrooms and Allies (Order Agaricales)

-Suborder Pluteineae

-Family Pluteaceae

-Deer Mushrooms (Genus Pluteus)


This fungus is commonly known as deer mushroom, deer shield or fawn mushroom. The scientific name reflects this, with “cervinus” translating to “of or pertaining to a deer". Deer mushrooms grow around the world and are most common in spring and fall. They grow on dead and dying hardwood and aren’t very picky about the tree species.

Deer Mushroom

Pluteus (Genus)

Description

  • Pluteus is a genus of gilled mushrooms in the family Pluteaceae. Fruiting bodies typically have a cap that is convex to broadly flattened, often becoming umbonate with age, and a slender to moderately stout stem. The gills are free from the stem and commonly change from pale to pinkish or salmon as the spores mature. Cap surfaces vary considerably among species and may be smooth, fibrillose, wrinkled, or finely scaly.

Range

  • Pluteus has a worldwide distribution, with species occurring in tropical, subtropical, temperate, and boreal regions. The genus is represented in Mexico, including Guerrero and the Pacific coastal region, and species may be encountered around Zihuatanejo where suitable woody substrates are present.

Habitat

  • Species are primarily saprobic on dead wood, including fallen logs, branches, stumps, buried woody material, and decaying plant debris. They occur in forests, woodland, tropical dry forest, gardens, and disturbed areas where decomposing wood is available. Fruiting bodies often appear during periods of warm, humid weather or following rainfall.

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