Tom – We did not make any effort to dig up anything, but also did not cut the specimen off at ground level. It was plucked from the ground, and at the base there was about 1.5 inches of a dark cone shaped section – sort of looked like a root vegetable. This is shown in the last image (44331) posted with this observation. Is that the sclerotium, of is there more to it that would normally be harvested by someone interested in the medicinal aspects? I’d be reluctant to dig up more for fear of disturbing a possible recurrence next year. Good to know the medicine is in the sclerotium – we were a bit worried about eating to much of it (it is said to be used as a diuretic, along with other effects).
About the name – Walt was right that I just misspelled umbellatus – not looking closing enough at my text. But the last line in the text in Roody translated the Latin as “with umbrellas”, so that the image I had in mind when I was typing. On researching the etymology, Irene’s explanation is also plausible – though in flora, this word is describing a type of attachment that does not seem to be a good description of the branching structure of the mushroom. The Latin root is related to umbrella as well and maybe it is because that branching structure in a flower form an umbrella too. See definitions of umbel: “A flat-topped or rounded flower cluster in which the individual flower stalks arise from about the same point, as in the geranium, milkweed, onion, and chive.” I always enjoy a good Latin root, but doing etymology and mycology together is having way too much fun – I’d rather be in the woods.
