Adhesive Kalocera Mushroom (horned, deer legs)

Kalocera sticky (Calocera viscosa) refers to conditionally edible mushrooms, that is, they can be eaten only after special pre-treatment. Kalocera is often called horned or horned because of its pronounced "horns."

Family: Dacrimycetic (Dacrymycetaceae).

Description. Fruit body 2 to 8 cm tall, bushy, slightly branched. The “deer horns” of the horned mushrooms are a bit sticky, as if glowing from the inside. The calotser pulp is resiliently gelatinous, rubbery, reddish, without any particular taste or smell.

The fungus bears fruit from the beginning of July to October, on rotten coniferous wood immersed or buried in the soil (usually grows strongly in the substrate), in coniferous and mixed forests, singly and in groups. It is often found throughout the forest zone of Russia.

Pay attention to the photo of the hornet mushroom: the fruit body with the pointed tips of the twigs has a dark yellow or orange color and a very intricate shape.

Similar species. Many real yellow-colored hornets are similar to kalotseru, but none of them is characterized by the characteristic cartilaginous-gelatinous-rubbery consistency of kalotseri.

Rogatnik: medicinal properties and other facts

Therapeutic properties: Polysaccharides isolated from mycelial culture stop the growth of sarcoma-180 and Ehrlich carcinoma by 90%. The fungus contains 5-hydroxytryptophan, a precursor of serotonin and melatonin.

Collection and procurement rules: Fresh fruit bodies are collected that have not begun to dry out or brown. Used alcohol infusions.

Interesting Facts. Despite the obvious resemblance to the hornets, this mushroom has nothing to do with them. It belongs to yeast mushrooms, its relatives are yeast mushrooms, gelatinous false rose, auricularia and other gelatinous heterobasidiomycetes.

Edible or not horned mushrooms (deer legs)?

There is a definite answer about whether edible mushroom is horned or not - it is possible for kalotser to eat, it will not bring harm, but its taste is very doubtful. Many culinary experts consider these qualities to be very low due to the rubbery pulp of Kalotser. For food purposes, the horned cow is extremely rare; boiled, fried and dried is used.

Cooking Application: In Bulgaria, because of the beautiful color, edible mushroom hornet is used in boiled form as a decoration in cold appetizers. In addition, sticky kalotser is added to the jellied meat before it hardens.