Pua ga'o (Tapinella atrotomentosa) ata ma fa'amatalaga

Pig fat (Tapinella atrotomentosa)

Ua: the diameter of the cap is from 8 to 20 cm. The surface of the cap is brown or olive-brown. A young mushroom has a felted, velvety hat. In the process of maturation, the hat becomes bare, dry and often cracks. At a young age, the cap is convex, then begins to expand and takes on a disproportionate tongue-like shape. The edges of the cap are slightly turned inward. The hat is quite large. The hat is depressed in the central part.

Faamaumauga: descending along the stem, yellowish, darken when damaged. Often there are specimens with plates bifurcating closer to the stem.

Spora pauta: clay brown.

Vaʻa: thick, short, fleshy leg. The surface of the leg is also velvety, felt. As a rule, the stem is offset to the edge of the cap. The height of the legs is from 4 to 9 cm, so the fat pig has a massive appearance.

pulupa: watery, yellowish. The taste of the pulp is astringent, with age it can be bitter. The smell of pulp is inexpressive.

Faʻasalalau: Pig fat (Tapinella atrotomentosa) is not common. The mushroom begins fruiting in July and grows until late autumn in small groups or alone. Grows on roots, stumps or on the ground. Prefers coniferous trees, and sometimes deciduous ones.

Mea'ai: There is no information about the edibility of the pig, since it is not completely known whether it is poisonous, like the thin pig. In addition, the flesh of the fat pig is tough and bitter, which makes this mushroom inedible.

Tutusa: It is very difficult to confuse the fat pig with other mushrooms, since no one else has such a beautiful velvety leg. The pig’s hat is a bit like a Polish mushroom or a green flywheel, but they are both tubular and quite suitable for eating.

Top photo: Dmitry