Agaricus augustus

Common Name: The Prince

Pileus
Cap 6-32 cm broad, convex expanding to plane; surface dry with yellow-brown to brown scales, bruising yellow in age, staining yellow slowly with KOH; Flesh thick, odor sweet, anise or almond-like.

Lamellae
Gills close, free, pale at first, then blackish-brown at maturity.

Stipe
Stipe 10-37 cm long, up to 6 cm thick, equal to enlarged at base, frequently buried; smooth above ring, scaly below; veil with cottony patches, later becoming membranous, forming a skirt-like annulus.

Spores
Spores 7.5-10.5 x 5-6.5 µm, elliptical and smooth. Spore print chocolate-brown.

Habitat
Fruiting during the warm months of the year, especially late summer. Most common along the coast after periods of foggy weather. Often found under conifers like redwood, Monterey pine, Monterey cypress, but may also occur in parks and gardens.
Edibility
An excellent edible, one of the very best. Unfortunately it is frequently infested with fly larvae.

Comments
One our largest and most spectacular Agaricus species. The yellow-brown scaly cap, sweet odor, blackish, free gills make it a distinctive species.