Agaricus sp.
One of the exciting aspects of mycology--the study of fungi--is the seemingly endless opportunities for discovery. Until recently, these locally common “Wild Portobellas” of southern Illinois were overlooked by science. In 2006, DNA sequencing revealed a startling fact: The species had never been officially documented. It has no scientific name yet, although it’s confirmed to be closely related to the familiar Meadow Mushroom (Agaricus campestris), pictured at lower right, and the store-bought Portobella (Agaricus bisporus). We’ve given it an easy-to-remember common name: the Brown Meadow Mushroom.
MEADOW MUSHROOM Agaricus campestris