Figure 4A. Lactarius hibbardae is a pinkish grey mushroom that smells like coconut, especially as it dries. Photo Jim Cornish.
names to living organisms. Species names are sometimes based on obvious features such as size, shape, color and other notable physical characteristics, including odor (Figs. 7–11). Te epithets odora, odoratum, odorifer, and odorata, for example, are vague references to a fragrant aroma. For mushrooms, other specific epithets are based on Latin/ Greek words for familiar smells and are much more informative: pryiodora (“smells like pears”), scorodonius (“like garlic”), saponaceum (“like soap”), traganus (“like goats”), prunulus (“like flour”) and glyciosmus (“like sugar”), to name a few. Of course, like many things fungal, it is not always this simple. Some fungi with specific odor epithets do not smell as their names suggest. In Cortinarius traganus, for example, traganus suggests a “goat-like smell,” but the odor is often described as being more like pears (Fig. 12).
Odor as an
identification tool Except for species with telltale features,
identifying mushrooms is not an easy task. Odors can help, especially when separating mushrooms that look alike but smell differently. However, our subjective perception of some odors and our lessened olfactory senses with age may make identification problematic. Different people may sense the same odor differently and name the same smell in different ways. (One person’s maple syrup may be another’s curry or another’s fenugreek.) Some people use descriptions of specific odors that are not recorded
Figure 4B. Lactarius glyciosmus has the same coconut odor but appears smaller and browner in our woods. Photo Renée Lebeuf.
Figure 5. Cantharellus enelensis, the Newfoundland chanterelle, exudes an apricot odor, a key feature in the identification of this favorite edible. Photo Andrus Voitk.
Figure 8. Clitopilus prunulus, the miller or the sweetbread mushroom, smells like flour. Photo Andrus Voitk.
Figure 6. Mycena pura is a saprobe that has a strong radish-like smell. This might be important in identification because of the color variety within this species. Photo Renée Lebeuf.
Figure 9. Inocybe pyriodora, commonly called the pear fiber cap, smells like over-ripe pears. Photo credit Joseph Nuzzolese.
Figure 7. Clitocybe odora, the aniseed toadstool, is easily identified by its strong scent of anise (black licorice) in fresh specimens. Photo Andrus Voitk.
Figure 10. Hygrophorus agathosmus, commonly known as the gray almond waxy cap, smells pleasant, hence its specific epithet agathosmus. Photo Andrus Voitk.
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