What do serushka mushrooms look like and their description (+23 photos)

One of the most common types of mushrooms in Russia are considered earrings. Experienced mushroom pickers never pass by these inconspicuous small mushrooms, as they are considered a great delicacy if cooked properly.

This species is conditionally edible, because it contains caustic milk juice, which can have a toxic effect on the human body. The earrings have an unattractive appearance and a faded grayish hat, therefore they often go unnoticed.

Characteristic features of the variety

Mushrooms belong to the genus Mlechnik and the family of Syroezhkov. In order not to leave an inconspicuous mushroom unnoticed and to distinguish it from others, it is necessary to pay attention to its morphological features. Photos and descriptions of serushka mushrooms are presented below.

Other names for earrings

Serushki have a large number of other names. Among them:

• lilac lump;
• Seruga or Seryanka;
• gray hollow;
• lactarius gray or mauve;
• subisocial or plantain;
• greenfinch;
• way;
• gray rowing;
• bitter.

From the other types of milkers, the gray row is distinguished by rarely located yellow plates and milk juice, which does not change its color in the air.

Appearance and photo

It is very important to remember how the mushroom looks, then distinguishing it from other species will not be difficult even for inexperienced and novice mushroom pickers. Appearance corresponds to the name of the earrings, since most often the mushroom cap has a grayish color.

However, sometimes there are specimens with a faint pink, pale purple or bright brown color. The fruiting body of the earrings reaches small sizes, and also very often merges with the ground and leaves.

Morphology

Greenfinchs have the following species features:

1. The mushroom cap can reach 10 cm in diameter. In the center of the cap there is a small tubercle, which gradually turns into a funnel-shaped shape, the edges are convex, bent in the middle, wavy. The surface relief includes concentric and flat parts. Color may vary. The lamellar part is represented by rarely located sinuous plates, initially straight and adhered to the pedicle. Light yellow color predominates.

   

2. The spores are small, spherical and yellow in color, with ornament. Spore powder is also yellow.
3. The leg is massive, up to 2 cm wide and 8-10 cm high. The consistency is dense, there is a cavity inside. The shape is cylindrical, on the surface there are longitudinal grooves. The color matches the color of the hat or a little lighter.
4. The pulp is thick, soft, has a pleasant aroma, from a distance it looks like a fruit.
5. Juice. When cut from the fruit body, white milk juice with a pungent taste is secreted. It does not oxidize in air and does not change color.

Habitat

Most common in mixed or deciduous forests. The most comfortable conditions for growth are observed in thickets of birch or aspen, as there the area is well lit, and the upper layers of the soil are always warmed up. Purple marshmallows also love swampy places, because after heavy autumn rains their increased growth is observed.

The peak yield occurs in early July and lasts until the end of autumn. This variety is growing in virtually all regions. The mushroom can be found in all countries of Europe and Asia.Especially common in Siberia and the northern part of Russia. The most comfortable climate is moderate. They grow mainly in groups.

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Eating

When picking mushrooms, you must be able to distinguish between an edible and a poisonous species. Themselves greenfinches do not pose a threat to human life and belong to the conditionally edible type due to the presence of caustic white juice inside.

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Rules and gathering places

Experienced mushroom pickers advise focusing on lowland areas with a lot of moisture, as well as in places where a large number of birches grow. Lilac mushrooms are collected from the middle of summer until the end of autumn. It is necessary to collect exclusively young specimens, since old ones accumulate over time all harmful environmental substances.

To collect with you, you need to take a sharp knife and a basket. Earrings often hide in leaves and merge with the ground, especially in the canopy, because they need to be carefully looked for. Found plantain is cut to the root and thoroughly cleaned of leaves, dust and earth. The collected mushrooms are put in a basket down with a hat so that the plantain is better stored.

Experts recommend going to collect purple mugs early in the morning, while they have not yet warmed up under the sun and can be stored for a long time. After collection and before use, each lilac lump should be carefully inspected to make sure that it is really a seroshka. After that, the selected ones are soaked in water for several hours and only then they start cooking.

Differences between edible earrings from poisonous doubles

Very often, real earrings can be confused with false or poisonous ones, which can harm human health. Most of all in seroshki, the representatives of the form of rows are similar. Poisonous rows include white, soap, sulfur, mouse and tiger. In order not to be poisoned by poisonous ranks, you need to know some features of their appearance:

1. Young white rowan has a white or milky color, which acquires dark spotting with age. The leopard is similar to white, since the surface of its cap is covered with large brown spots. The rank and file, whose hats are very similar in shape to earrings, have a dirty yellow color and it is also forbidden to eat them.

   

2. The soap row has olive hats and a spotted leg. This subspecies is not poisonous, but was classified as inedible, which is associated with a soap-like appearance after heat treatment.

   

The pulp of all rows is distinguished by its burning strong smell. The leg is mainly dark gray. False rowan grows mainly in sub-clay and sub-sand substrates.

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Useful properties of earrings and restrictions on use

This variety has a large number of useful properties, which is associated with its composition. So, earrings contain a large number of amino acids, vitamins, minerals.Potassium, which is also part of the composition, normalizes the functioning of the heart muscle and blood vessels, restores the acid, alkaline, water-salt and electrolyte balance, protein and carbohydrate metabolism.

B vitamins prevent the development of gallstone disease, obesity and nervous system disorders. Phosphorus promotes the growth of the musculoskeletal system, and is also responsible for the transport function in the body.

In folk medicine, infusions and decoctions are used to treat diabetes, oncological diseases, depression and nervous disorders, hypertension, rheumatism, arrhythmia and osteoporosis. Zelenushki inherent antibacterial, antimicrobial and immunostimulating effects.

Our ancestors often used earrings to treat stomach ailments and even added to the medicine against cholera. Also, this type is often used for dietary nutrition, which is associated with their low calorie content and high content of nutrients in the required proportions. Due to the high content of polysaccharides, they are often used as an immunostimulant.

Salting at home

Most often, earrings at home are used for salting. Before cooking, the collected mushrooms must be thoroughly washed and left for several hours in warm water with salt, so that bitterness and toxins go away. It is important to remember that if 20-30% of the fruiting body is spoiled, then such a mushroom should not be eaten.

For salting, you need to cook 2-3 kg of mushrooms, salt, peppercorns and garlic. For aroma use bay leaf, dill, branches of currant and horseradish. The mushrooms are soaked, then dried and peeled with a sharp knife. Then they are placed in oak barrels. All the ingredients are laid out in layers, not forgetting to salt, after which they all are covered and placed on top of the press. The barrel is placed in a cold, dark place. Mushrooms are ready after one and a half to two months.

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Answers to widespread questions

Questions about the preparation, benefits, calories and cooking earwax are the most common:

Serushki are mushrooms widespread in Russia, which are often used by people in cooking and are of particular value in folk medicine. It is quite easy to distinguish them from inedible doubles, but if in doubt, it is better to leave the mushroom in the forest.