New species of blue mushroom found in SW China

World
Europe

A new species of blue mushroom was recently discovered in Mengsong Township, Yunnan Province, in southwestern China, announced researchers from Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

The genus, with its cap to stem all covered in blue color, was named “Entoloma mengsongense” after being spotted by a team of CAS scientists based at Kunming Institute of Botany. Their findings have been published on the Turkish Journal of Botany.

Entoloma refers to a large family of terrestrial pink-gilled mushrooms comprised of about 1,000 species. They are often seen in habitats including rainforests, woodlands, grasslands, and arctic or alpine forests.

“The blue mushroom still belongs to Entoloma and maintains the typical characteristics like its family members do,” explained one of the researchers Xu Jianchu, “because it’s still got pink gills despite of its all-blue appearances.”

Entoloma mengsongense /CAS Photo

The new discovery started a heated discussion online soon after the news was released, as netizens wonder if the blue mushroom is edible.

Entoloma hochstetteri is the first blue mushroom species found in Yunnan Province. Also called Sky Blue Mushroom, it is commonly found in New Zealand and India.

After thorough examination of the new species sample obtained from Mengsong, researchers confirmed that it is part of the Entoloma family, and a “relative” to Entoloma hochstetteri.

Entoloma hochstetteri /CAS Photo

2488km