Press Release

Gourmet Mushroom Named After City of Chicago

Known for their delicate, fruity aroma, the yellow chanterelle mushrooms were once thought to be a single species, Cantharellus cibarius. However, over the past few decades, scientists have discovered that chanterelles comprise more than 100 different species worldwide. And in Chicago, one of these species reigns supreme. Local scientists have given it the name Cantharellus chicagoensis—literally, the Chicago chanterelle. It will join a short lineup of species named after Chicago, including a moth and an extinct mollusk.

Described in the journal Mycologia, the Chicago chanterelle is a mushroom found throughout northeast Illinois and nearby regions. Although similar in appearance to other chanterelles, it varies slightly in color, with a greenish-yellow tinge when it’s young. It is characterized as mild in flavor and aroma, compared to other species, which have been likened to apricots. However, the description of this species extends beyond its immediately-apparent characteristics.

“New descriptions of chanterelle mushrooms have only been made possible in the past few decades because of advances in DNA sequencing technology,” said Field Museum researcher Patrick Leacock. “We examined three gene regions in order to establish this mushroom as distinct from the other members of the genus Cantharellus.”

With scientific technology continuing to improve, there is a lot more work that can be done in the field of mushroom taxonomy. For now, though, the people of Chicago can rejoice that they can now claim a first-rate mushroom for the Second City.