Macrolepiota Clelandii Royalty-Free Stock Photo

Macrolepiota clelandii, commonly known as the slender parasol or graceful parasol, is a species of mushroom-forming fungus in the family Agaricaceae. The species is found in Australia and New Zealand, where it fruits singly or in small groups on the ground in eucalypt woodlands, parks, and roadsides. It is a tall mushroom up to roughly 20 cm (8 in), with a broad cap covered with distinctive rings of dark brown scales. The whitish gills on the cap underside are closely spaced and free from attachment to the slender stipe, which has a loose ring on its upper half, and a bulbous base. The edibility of the mushroom is not known with certainty, but closely related parasol mushrooms are edible and some are very sought after.The fungus, first documented by naturalist John Burton Cleland in the early 20th century, was initially assumed to be the close relative Macrolepiota procera, a European species now known to be absent from Australia. Australian mycologist Cheryl Grgurinovic recognized Cleland's collections as a distinct species, officially describing it in 1997. The fungus has been referred to by several names: M. konradii, M. gracilenta, and M. mastoidea. Else Vellinga showed using molecular phylogenetic analysis that these names refer to European species and were misapplied by Australian authors.