Blackening Waxcap
Hygrocybe conica
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 10cm; stem to 10cm. Smallish waxy toadstool. Conical cap, which opens with maturity, may start by being yellow, orange or even red, but very soon starts to turn black unevenly. Gills, which are well hidden at first, are whitish. Flesh yellowish-white. Stem tall and cylindrical, coloured as the cap. Eventually the whole fungus becomes completely black, without initially losing its shape. Also called Witch’s Hat.
HABITAT
Grows in grassland. Widespread and common across northern Europe.
SEASON
Midsummer to autumn.
Crimson Waxcap
Hygrocybe punicea
Cap to 15cm; stem to 25cm. Cap bright blood-red at first, but colour soon washes out with rain or frost, leaving the surface looking as though it is covered with a white bloom; cap rounded-conical in shape. Gills pale yellow and reddish at the base; adnate. Stem red with a white base; if split with a knife the flesh of this fungus is white. Grows only in good-quality unimproved grassland. Occurs autumn.
Golden Waxcap
Hygrocybe chlorophana
Cap to 7cm; stem to 8cm. Small and predominantly yellow. Gills and flesh a consistent lemon-yellow, which is the diagnostic feature. Stem tall, smooth, slimy and often channelled; same colour as the cap or slightly paler. Grows in grassland, and found in open woodland, fields, lawns and roadsides. Occurs spring to autumn.
Scarlet Waxcap
Hygrocybe coccinea
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 6cm; stem to 6cm. Cap blood-red; bell shaped at first, later becoming more convex or flat. Gills initially yellow but becoming blood-red with age; fairly widely spaced. Flesh orange-red, and fibrous with no distinctive odour. Stem hollow and blood-red, sometimes paler at the base.
HABITAT
Grows on pastures and lawns, and in grassy open woodland. Widespread across Europe.
SEASON
Late summer to early winter.
Herald of Winter
Hygrophorus hypothejus
Cap to 6cm; stem to 8cm. Cap dull olive-brown, covered with olivaceous gluten, slightly more pallid at the margin; convex at first, becoming flatter and with a sharp umbo. Gills yellowish and slippery with gluten, especially below the ring zone; decurrent. Stem pallid yellow, sometimes tinged with orange. Grows in needle litter, usually in pine woods. Occurs late autumn to early winter.
Gold-flecked Woodwax
Hygrophorus chrysodon
Cap to 15cm; stem to 7cm. Small and fairly stout agaric. Cap white, yellowing with age, with an incurved margin and yellow granules. Gills white; adnate. Flesh white, soft and thick. Stem proportionally stout, basically white, but covered with fine yellow granules. Grows singly or in scattered groups in deciduous woodland, mainly under beeches. Occurs late autumn to early winter.
Honey Fungus
Armillaria mellea
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 9cm; stem to 15cm. Cap often honey coloured, although this is variable; slightly scaly. Gills initially white, then yellowish and finally brown; slightly decurrent. Flesh white. Stem similarly coloured to the cap and bears a white ring. Grows in tufts; lower caps often coloured with white spores shed by higher caps. Parasitic and responsible for the deaths of many trees and shrubs in woodland and gardens. Also called Bootlace Fungus because it spreads by means of bootlace-like black cords.
HABITAT
Grows in dense clusters on deciduous and coniferous trees, which it often destroys. Widespread and common in England; most frequent in Scotland.
SEASON
Late summer to early winter.
Birch Knight
Tricholoma fulvum
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 10cm; stem to 11cm. Cap tawny, usually with slightly darker streaks radiating around the edge; first convex, then flatter and usually with a low umbo. Gills yellow spotting brown with age; adnate. Flesh yellow. Stem slim and cylindrical, concolorous with the cap but paler at the top. Both the cap and stem are sticky when moist.
HABITAT
Grows singly or in groups on wet acidic soils in woodland, and is usually associated with birches. Widespread and extremely common.
SEASON
Autumn.
Grey Knight
Tricholoma terreum
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
HABITAT
Occurs in large groups on calcareous soils in coniferous and occasionally deciduous woodland. Fairly common throughout Europe, but has an uneven distribution.
SEASON
Late summer to autumn.
Aniseed Agaric
Clitocybe odora
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 7cm; stem to 6cm. Cap a mixture of greens and blues; convex when young, later becoming whitish and flat with an incurved margin. Gills paler than the cap; crowded and running down the stem. Flesh whitish and tough with a strong odour of aniseed. Stem base slightly swollen and covered in fibrous white down.
HABITAT
Grows in small troops in leaf litter in deciduous woodland or grassy clearings. Quite common in Europe.
SEASON
Autumn to early winter.
Fragrant Funnel
Clitocybe fragrans
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 4cm; stem to 6cm. Cap yellowish-brown when wet, drying to cream with a darker centre, and finely lined at the margin; cap flattish, often becoming depressed in the centre with age. Gills whitish-buff; crowded and running down the stem. Flesh thin and white with a strong odour of aniseed. Stem concolorous with the cap.
HABITAT
Grows in tufts or small troops in moss or grass in deciduous woodland. Widespread in Europe but uncommon.
SEASON
Autumn to early winter.
Clouded Funnel
Clitocybe nebularis
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 20cm; stem to 10cm. Large and fleshy funnel. Cap colour variable, but generally beige or grey with a dark centre; convex, becoming flatter and usually slightly depressed in the centre. Gills creamy or greyish; decurrent. Flesh whitish. Stem sturdy, widening towards the base and similar in colour to the cap. Strong sweet smell.
HABITAT
Grows in clusters, mainly in deciduous woodland. Widespread and common.
SEASON
Autumn to early winter.
Trooping Funnel
Clitocybe geotropa
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 20cm; stem to 15cm. Cap convex and yellowish-buff when young, becoming shallowly funnel shaped and flesh coloured with age. Gills concolorous with the cap; crowded and running down on to the stem. Flesh thick, white and firm with a mealy odour. Stem stout and cylindrical.
HABITAT
Occurs in rings or troops in grassy clearings in mixed or deciduous woodland, particularly on calcareous soils. Widespread in Europe but nowhere common. In Britain most common in south.
SEASON
Autumn.
Common Funnel
Clitocybe gibba
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 8cm; stem to 8cm. Cap a pale washed leather colour; funnel shaped even when young, smooth and silky, becoming more expanded with an undulating margin. Gills creamy-white with a pink tinge. Stem short and slim, often with a slightly swollen base; concolorous with the cap or paler. Distinct sweetish or almond odour.
HABITAT
Grows in scattered groups in leaf litter in deciduous woodland and on heaths. Widespread and common.
SEASON
Summer to autumn.
Ivory Funnel
Clitocybe dealbata
xpanding almost to funnel shape. Gills adnate or slightly decurrent. Flesh and stem white. Whitewashed or chalky appearance. Grows in groups or rings and is rather slimmer than a mushroom. Poisonous: extremely toxic and has caused death by being mistaken for a mushroom and eaten. Grows in groups on lawns and in short grassland, often with Fairy Ring Champignon. Widespread and common. Occurs midsummer to late autumn.
Club Foot
Ampulloclitocybe clavipes
Cap to 8cm; stem to 7cm. Cap grey-brown; rounded or flat, retaining an incurved edge; surface smooth and velvety. Gills creamy-white; decurrent. Flesh white. Club-shaped stem, swollen towards the base. Grows mainly with beeches and birches, in leaf litter. Widespread and common. Occurs autumn.
Amethyst Deceiver
Laccaria amethystina
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 5cm; stem to 10cm. Cap deep purplish-lilac drying to a pale lilac-buff; convex at first, then flattened and eventually concave with a wavy margin. Gills the same colour as the cap, becoming white and powdery with spores; widely spaced. Flesh concolorous, tough and fibrous. Stem concolorous with the cap, and covered with whitish fibres towards the apex and lilac fibres near the base.
HABITAT
Grows singly or in scattered groups in deciduous and coniferous woodland, particularly with chestnuts and beeches. Common and widespread across Europe.
SEASON
Midsummer to early winter.
The Deceiver
Laccaria laccata
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 5cm; stem to 10cm. Very variable in appearance and habitat, hence its common name. Cap brick-red although extreme variability of colour and shape often cause it to be misidentified. Gills concolorous with the cap, or with a rosy-pinkish tinge, becoming powdered white with spores; well spaced and adnate. Stem tall in relation to size of the cap; fibrous and twisted.
HABITAT
Grows in scattered groups in almost any situation, from deciduous and coniferous woods to cultivated lawns. Very common across Europe.
SEASON
Midsummer to early winter.
Russet Toughshank
Collybia dryophila
Cap to 5cm; stem to 6cm. Small and very variable fungus that is responsible for much of the leaf decomposition in deciduous woodland. Cap thin and variable in colour, but usually pale. Gills white; free. Flesh white and thin. Stem thin and hollow, widening and darkening towards the base. Grows in all types of deciduous woodland, and under bracken on heaths. Widespread and common. Occurs midsummer to late autumn.
Wood Woolly-foot
Collybia peronata
Cap to 6cm; stem to 6cm. Cap pale grey to brown. Gills yellow with age; free. Flesh creamy. Stem fairly long, depending on the depth of the leaf litter in which it grows; pale, yellowing with age; base covered with hair. Grows singly or in groups in deciduous woods, and may occur with conifers. Widespread and common. Occurs late summer to autumn.
Spotted Toughshank
Collybia maculata
Cap to 10cm; stem to 10cm. Cap white or cream; convex, then flatter with an incurved margin that becomes wavy with age. Gills free. Stem colour as cap, and may be elongated according to the depth of the medium in which it grows. All parts, particularly the cap and gills, develop brownish spots with age. Grows in leaf litter of deciduous or coniferous woods, or in bracken litter. Widespread and common. Occurs midsummer to late autumn.
Spindleshank
Collybia fusipes
Cap to 7cm; stem to 9cm. Cap brown and smooth. Coarse, broad gills fawn coloured and free. Flesh fawn. Stem flushed with cap colour, longitudinally grooved, widening and darkening towards the centre and tapering towards the base, which forms quite a long ‘root’. Densely clustered growth method makes the fungus easy to identify. Grows on oaks and is generally found close to the bases of trees. Widespread and common. Occurs spring to early winter.
Lilac Bonnet
Mycena pura
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 5cm; stem to 6.5cm. Very variable; numerous varieties have been described. Cap pinky- or grey-brown; convex, turning flatter or bell shaped, and usually umbonate. Gills white with a lilac tint; adnate. Flesh white. Stem white, rather stouter and shorter than the stems of other species in the genus. Can be recognized by its smell, which is reminiscent of radishes. Poisonous: can cause hallucinations.
HABITAT
Usually grows singly or in small groups in deciduous leaf litter. Widespread and common.
SEASON
Summer to early winter.
Common Bonnet
Mycena galericulata
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 6cm; stem to 10cm. Cap grey, drying brownish; conical, expanding to bell shaped with a shallow umbo. Gills white, although developing a flesh-pink tint with age; adnate. Flesh white. Stem long, similar in colour to the cap, smooth, shiny and tough.
HABITAT
Grows in tufts or sometimes singly on decayed or buried deciduous wood, particularly oak logs and stumps. Very common and widely distributed in Europe.
SEASON
Late spring to early winter.
Milky Bonnet
Mycena galopus
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 2cm; stem to 8cm. Very variable. Cap pale umber-grey, darker in the centre; conical, bell shaped or flatter. Gills flesh-white; adnate. Stem long and thin, grey, with a white cottony base; oozes white milk when cut or broken, hence its common name.
HABITAT
Grows in tufts in deciduous leaf litter and among grasses in mixed woodland and hedgerows. Widespread and extremely common.
SEASON
Late summer to late autumn.
Burgundydrop Bonnet
Mycena haematopus
Cap to 4cm; stem to 7cm. Small and tufted species. Cap greyish-brown drying much paler, but often showing streaks or blotches of a darker colour; conical, then bell shaped or flatter. Gills flesh-white when undamaged; adnate. Stem similar in colour to the cap; when cut it oozes drops of blood-red sap. Grows on dead deciduous wood and stumps. Occurs late summer to autumn.
Yellowleg Bonnet
Mycena epipterygia
Cap to 2cm; stem to 5cm. Variable bonnet. Cap pale grey or yellowish. Gills dirty white; adnate. Flesh concolorous with the gills. Stem tall in relation to the size of the cap, and pale grey covered with a layer of yellowish gluten, especially at the stem top; when picked up it will adhere to the fingers. Grows in leaf litter and bracken in deciduous and coniferous woodland on acid soil. Occurs late summer to autumn.
Porcelain Mushroom
Oudemansiella mucida
Cap to 10cm; stem to 10cm. Medium-sized all-white fungus. Cap slimy and semi-translucent. Gills white or ivory; free. Stem length varies considerably as it rises to clear the cap from the tree on which it grows; slightly scaly and carries a membranous ring. Grows in clusters both on fallen branches and high up in beech trees. Common species. Occurs late summer to early winter.
Rooting Shank
Xerula radicata
Cap to 10cm; stem to 20cm. Cap pale to dark brown, radially furrowed; first convex or bell shaped, then flatter and usually umbonate. Gills white; free. Flesh white. Stem length is twice the width of the cap; white shading into brown at the base. If carefully dug up, a long extension of the stem, which attaches it to buried wood, can be seen. Usually grows parasitically on beech and hazel stumps, roots and buried wood, both singly and in small groups. Widespread and common in southern England, often on chalk. Occurs midsummer to autumn.
Fairy Ring Champignon
Marasmius oreades
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 5cm; stem to 9cm. Cap tan; convex, then flatter with a broad umbo. Gills white; widely spaced and adnate. Flesh white. Stem similar in colour to the cap. Like other species in this genus, the fungus has the ability to dry out and later rehydrate without deteriorating.
HABITAT
Grows in rings on cultivated lawns and pasture
s, often in large numbers. Widespread and common across Europe.
SEASON
Spring to autumn.
St George’s Mushroom
Calocybe gambosa
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 12cm; stem to 8cm. Medium and stout, resembling a cultivated mushroom. Cap whitish-cream, often with a brownish tinge; convex to flattish with an incurved wavy margin. Gills white or cream; crowded and adnate. Flesh thick. Smells strongly of new meal. Stem whitish and smooth.
HABITAT
Grows in clumps and large rings on chalky soil in pastures, mixed woodland and hedgerows. Widespread but uncommon, with an uneven distribution across Europe.
SEASON
Spring to early summer.
Plums and Custard
Tricholomopsis rutilans
SIZE AND DESCRIPTION
Cap to 10cm; stem to 10cm. Cap yellow, but the colour is almost completely obscured by a layer of red-brown scales; conical or convex, then flatter, often with a broad umbo and incurved margins. Gills bright egg-yolk yellow; adnate. Flesh cream. Stem paler than the cap.
HABITAT
Grows on and around conifer stumps and fallen trees. Common and widespread across Europe.
SEASON
Late autumn to early winter.