Shaggy Mane Mushroom
One of the best edibles. This is an excellent mushroom for beginners that cannot be mistaken for anything else. It is often an urban species that appears in lawns and along roadsides. Eating one picked from a roadside should be avoided since the species concentrates lead and other heavy metals if they are present in the soil. It is best to cut away the inky portion when preparing one, if it has developed. The ink is harmless but not very esthetic. The ink has been used in times past for writing. Submerging the caps in cold water will slow down the ink formation that is caused by a chemical oxidation reaction.