Pluteus is a large genus of fungi with over 300 species. They are wood rotting saprobes with pink spore prints and gills that are free from the stem.
The Latin word Pluteus means shed or penthouse.The mushroom hunter's field guide By Alexander Hanchett Smith, Nancy S. Weber
Characteristics of the genus Characteristics of the Pluteus genus are:Meinhard Moser, translated by Simon Plant: Keys to Agarics and Boleti (Roger Phillips 1983) Courtecuisse, R. & Duhem, B. (1994) "Guide des champignons de France et d'Europe" Delachaux et Niestlé , also available in English These fungi grow on wood or wood remains. The spore powder is deep pink, soon giving a pink tint to the initially pale gills. The gills are free from the stipe. There is no volva or ring (exception: the rare recently reclassified North American species P. mammillatus, previously Chamaeota sphaerospora).A. M. Minnis, W. J. Sundberg et al., Annulate Pluteus species, a study of the genus Chamaeota in the United States", MYCOTAXON Vol. 96 pp. 31-39, April-June 2006 Microscopically, they often have abundant, distinctive cystidia. The spores are smooth and roughly egg-shaped.
Pluteus is separated from Volvariella due to the lack of a volva, and from Entoloma by growing on wood and by microscopic features (Entolomas have angular spores).
Naming The name Pluteus was established in 1837 by the founding mycologist Elias Magnus Fries at a time when agaric mushrooms were first being assigned to different genera.
The Latin word "" has various meanings related to military protective structures and its signification here may be that of a shield (the shape of the cap).Etymology section of The mushroom hunter's field guide By Alexander Hanchett Smith, Nancy S. Weber
Remarks on particular species
Some of these mushrooms are edible including P. petasatus and P. cervinus, though most people rate their taste and consistency as average at best.
Pluteus cervinus is the best known species in Europe and North America.
Several species of this genus bruise blue and contain psilocybinG. Guzmán, J. W. Allen & J. Gartz, "A Worldwide Geographical Distribution of the Neurotropic Fungi, an Analysis and Discussion" including Pluteus brunneidiscus,Justo, A. & M.L. Castro. (2007). "Observations in Pluteus section Pluteus in Spain: Two new records for Europe". Mycotaxon 102: 209–220. Pluteus salicinus, Pluteus cyanopus, Pluteus glaucus, Pluteus nigroviridis, Pluteus phaeocyanopus, Pluteus americanus and Pluteus villosus.Fungifama site
Fungi of this genus have been recorded as food of the pleasing fungus beetles Dacne quadrimaculata and the (possibly conspecific) Tritoma atriventris and T.humeralis; while the former eats it only occasionally and probably just as adults, for the Tritoma a diet of Pluteus is apparently also a suitable larval food, and the species in question has been tentatively identified as the deer mushroom P.cervinus.Goodrich, Michael A. & Skelley, Paul E. (1994): Fungal host records for species of Tritoma (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) of America North of Mexico. Entomol. News 105: 289-294. PDF fulltextGoodrich, Michael A. and Springer, Charles A. (1999): The Pleasing Fungus Beetles (Coleoptera: Erotylidae) of Nebraska. Transactions of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences 25: 53-71.Fulltext
See also List of Pluteus species
References
Further reading M. Kuo "The Genus Pluteus" (on Fondazione Museo Civico di Rovereto)