Horse Mushroom

horse mushroom Agaricus arvensis, a large edible mushroom which is found in pastures or thickets in the autumn. Its distribution is wide: Europe, N. America, Japan, China, Australia, S. Africa.

The convex cap may measure 20 cm (8") across, twice the size of the common field mushroom. The gills are white at first, then pink, and finally brown. Like many other mushrooms in the genus Agaricus, this one smells of aniseed. It is good to eat, and may be cooked in any of the usual ways. The size and shape of the cap are suitable for stuffing.