**Taxonomy:**
– First described by Giovanni Antonio Scopoli in 1772
– Initially named Agaricus procerus
– Transferred to Macrolepiota by Rolf Singer in 1948
**Description:**
– Mature specimen can reach 30-40 (50)cm in height and cap diameter
– Stipe is thin and fibrous, inedible unless dried and ground
– Cap has a snakeskin-like pattern, breaks off margin leaving a ring
– Gills are crowded, free, and white with a pale pink tinge
– Spore print is white, with a pleasant nutty smell
**Uses:**
– Choice edible mushroom, popular in Europe
– Edible raw but caution needed due to toxic lookalikes
– Prepared by sautéing, frying, or stuffing with various fillings
– Stem and bulb are often discarded but can be dried and ground into powder
– Seasonal frequency from July to November in the UK
**Similar species:**
– Common shaggy parasol (Chlorophyllum rhacodes) is smaller and lacks snakeskin pattern
– Macrolepiota mastoidea is another large edible mushroom, rarer than M. procera
– Agaricus species have brown spores, gills are never white in mature specimens
– Poisonous lookalikes include Chlorophyllum molybdites and Leucocoprinus brunnea
– Amanita species pose a hazard, distinguishable by color and surface texture
**Gallery:**
– Image of a breaded parasol mushroom
– Picture of picked mushroom caps in a basket
**References:**
– Taxonomic details and history of Macrolepiota procera
– Information sources on mushrooms and fungi
– Cautionary notes on poisonous lookalikes and safe foraging practices