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OfflineWorkmanV
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Guide to Common Contaminate Mushrooms * 21
    #17305253 - 11/29/12 07:41 PM (11 years, 1 month ago)

Mushroom Cultivation: Guide to Common Contaminate Mushrooms


"I grew mushrooms but they don't look right"

Not all contamination is slimy or moldy.  Sometimes a mushroom substrate can unintentionally produce unwanted mushrooms.

Presenting an informational collection of images of contaminate mushrooms growing on cakes or in trays.  The list is rather short so you should be able to find your rogue mushrooms here.  If you find something completely different, let me know and I'll add it to the list.  All images are of actual contaminate mushrooms observed and documented by members of the Shroomery forums.

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#1 Schizophyllum commune (Common Split gill)

This is an extremely common contaminate mushroom, often mistaken for small Pleurotus (oyster mushrooms).  The mushrooms start out looking like a tiny flask before flattening out to the mature fan-like form.  This species has a worldwide distribution where it is usually found growing on wood.  Despite it being a highly successful wood decaying fungus, it seems just as happy on rice flour and vermiculite. 

Reported in the forums several times a year, with reports spiking in the summer months.  Forum posts suggest that the usual source of this mushroom contaminate is natural environmental spore load.

This species is actually edible, but is usually designated as inedible in guidebooks because of its tough, chewy texture. 

 


Schizophyllum commune - collected Shroomery posts

Tom Volk's Mushroom of the Month Schizopyllum commune
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#2 Small Gray Unknown (Spikes)

A less common but not rare contaminate, sometimes mistaken for Panaeolus or malformed Pleurotus (oyster mushrooms).  The mushrooms are small and thin with white spores.  The cap and stem are the same color, usually grayish. Reported about once a year on this forum. This is almost certainly a collection of similar species since there is some variability in appearance.  Collybia is a possible genus.  The contamination source is apparently environmental spore load.  Not active or edible, possibly poisonous. DO NOT EAT!

       

Threads with  for above images

Rahz (2005)
bensoncd1990 (2007)
juggaloskater (2008)
gmarkball (2011)
Scarousel (2012)
F4112N (2012)
capncaveman (2014)

Microscopy of juggaloskater specimen


The reports of this rarer type of contaminate are hard to find in the forums since they lack common search keywords, so let me know if I missed any.  I am pretty sure I've seen a few more over the years.

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#3 Pleurotus (Oyster Mushrooms)

Oyster mushrooms are a fairly common contaminate but unlike #1 and #2, these rarely (never?) occur due to wild spores.  The oyster mushrooms are usually malformed and not immediately recognizable.  They are extremely sensitive to the high CO2 levels often found in low-tech passive grow chambers.  The lack of adequate air exchange causes reduced funnel shaped caps and elongated stems.  Cap color can be white, brown, blue or yellow, depending on the oyster species (pink is possible but has yet to be observed as a contaminate).  Stems are white, spores are white to pale lilac.

Update with pink oyster example.
https://www.reddit.com/r/shroomery/comments/14653dp/a_cautionary_tale_of_pink_oysters/

There are 3 main causes for oyster mushrooms to appear where they are not expected. 

A mixup of cultures/trays by the cultivator that is growing more than one species, one of which are oyster mushrooms. 

A high oyster spore load from an earlier successful oyster mushroom fruiting has contaminated the cultivation area. 

Contaminated spore prints from side by side growing of oysters and other species.  This has been known to happen with purchased and traded spores.  Oyster mushrooms are very aggressive and can overgrow most other desirable species even if only a few oyster spores are present. Not active, Edible (choice if grown properly) 




The far right image by Lorddavros (see Weird link below) shows cubensis and oysters growing from the same cake.  An outstanding example of oyster contamination. 

A small selection of unintentional oyster mushroom cultivation posts

Oysters
Oysters instead of Cubensis
Weird
Strange

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#4 Coprinoids (Inky Caps)

A common contaminate mushroom often seen in bulk cultivations using manures, composts, straw or soils.  The spores of many coprinoids are thermotolerant and can survive inadequate pasteurization.  There are many species but the contaminating types are all fast growing and fragile with most dissolving into an inky liquid at maturity. The cap coloration can be white, brown or gray.  The young caps are usually egg shaped, but mature into a bell or parasol shape before melting down.  Spores are black.  Not active, not edible (some species can be somewhat toxic, but none are considered deadly)





Threads
Oddball
Mushroom contaminate
Inky caps
More inky caps
Albino PE?

The Shroomery Contaminate page, includes inky caps

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#5 Psilocybe cubensis (Cubes)

Psilocybe cubensis can contaminate Panaeolus cyanescens (and allies) cultivations and more rarely other species.  The reasons are the same as with oyster contamination (see #3 above) with the additional factor of spores intentionally or mistakenly mislabeled (both species have dark spores so the spore prints are visually similar)

Interestingly, trays of fully colonized Panaeolus can produce a normal flush of Panaeolus mushrooms before becoming overwhelmed by Cubensis mycelium and fruiting cubensis for the 2nd and following flushes.  This generally happens when both species are grown in close proximity and the grow area is loaded with free cubensis spores.  It appears that the Panaeolus colonized substrate is selective for cubensis colonization.  This hints at the possibility of sequential use of manure based substrates. 

 

Although Cubensis contamination is common, pictures are almost always of one species or the other.  Currently I am only able to find one good Shroomery posted picture showing both species growing in the same container.  The two pictures on the right are from the thehawkseye and mycotopia.  If I find more Shroomery posted pictures I will replace the the offsite ones.

Pans don't look like pans

Rogue mushrooms

Cubensis instead of Oysters


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#6 Everything else

Rare events that don't fit in the above.

Polypore?

Stemonitis splendens. Chocolate Tube Slime Mold

*minor edits: 3/28/2020


Edited by Workman (06/11/23 01:00 PM)


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OfflineWorkmanV
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Registered: 03/01/01
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Re: Guide to Common Contaminate Mushrooms [Re: Deemstar] * 4
    #17306022 - 11/29/12 10:11 PM (11 years, 1 month ago)

Quote:

Deemstar said:
Good read, thank you for the information. Those hary coprinoids is the craziest shroom I've ever seen.




That is Coprinopsis lagopus if you want to use the Google for more information.


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OfflineWorkmanV
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Registered: 03/01/01
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Re: Guide to Common Contaminate Mushrooms [Re: Kizzle] * 3
    #18469788 - 06/25/13 12:59 PM (10 years, 7 months ago)

It depends on what you are calling Inky Caps.  If you mean Coprinopsis atramentaria, then yes, you are correct.  But if you mean any Coprinoid type, inky melting mushroom that you are likely to find as a contaminate in your mushroom growing efforts, then no.

Alcohol Inky:
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/coprinopsis_atramentaria.html


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My Instagram
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OfflineWorkmanV
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Registered: 03/01/01
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Loc: Oregon, USA
Last seen: 11 hours, 30 minutes
Trusted Cultivator
Re: Guide to Common Contaminate Mushrooms [Re: Workman] * 3
    #20667184 - 10/06/14 03:50 PM (9 years, 3 months ago)

Old post of type #2 contamination, saved for reference.

Mini Mushrooms



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