Scientific name
Entoloma hochstetteri
Description
Sky-Blue mushroom is a delicate and beautiful mushroom. These mushrooms have a cap diameter of 2- 4 cm and are initially convex in shape. They become broad to become curved or umbilicate and are radially fibrillose. They have a silky texture and are delicately scaly. As they get mature they turn from blue-black to brown in color. Gills are generally large and moderately spaced, with jagged or serrated edges. The sky-blue mushroom has pale bluish-white flesh that turns pink with age. Sometimes they are adnexed with decurrent teeth. They have hollow and cylindrical stems that are 4- 7 cm long with a diameter of 2- 3 mm. It is silky with blackish specks towards the apex and smooth and blue-black below. Their spores have an irregular shape with a diameter of 9-12 x 6.5-8μm. They have pink colored spore prints.
Habitat
Sky-Blue mushroom is widely spread throughout New Zealand. They produce their fruiting bodies singly or in pairs from the ground in broadleaf and podocarp mixed woods.
Uses/Importance
The sky blue mushroom is vividly colored blue. A brilliant blue food dye might be created using the blue coloring. These mushrooms have no recognized applications as of yet. It has the potential to color everything marketed throughout the world, from Smarties to eye makeup. Among the most recognizable mushrooms in the world, this one is shown on the $50 bill and appears in Maori folklore.
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