Fly Agaric

(FTF 009) – Name the Mushroom, Fugus or Fungi?

🍄 Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)

The Fly Agaric is one of the world’s most recognisable mushrooms, famous for its bright red cap covered in white spots. However, its striking appearance hides a poisonous and psychoactive fungus.

Three fascinating facts:

– Poisonous properties: It contains ibotenic acid and muscimol, which can cause nausea, confusion, hallucinations and other serious symptoms. It should never be eaten.

– Unusual name: Its name comes from its historical use as an insecticide. The mushroom was traditionally placed in milk to attract and stupefy flies.

– Woodland habitat: It forms a mutually beneficial relationship with tree roots, particularly birch, pine and spruce. It is commonly spotted from late summer through to early winter.

An iconic woodland inhabitant: Despite its fairy-tale appearance, the Fly Agaric is a fascinating reminder that nature’s most beautiful creations can also be poisonous.

Magpie Inkcap (Coprinopsis picacea)

(FTF 008) – Name the Mushroom, Fugus or Fungi?

A striking mushroom with a dark, bell-shaped cap marked by white patches and a slender white stem

Three Fascinating Facts

– A Dramatic Transformation: Its cap begins tall and pointed before gradually opening into a bell or umbrella shape, revealing its dark surface and scattered white patches.

– It Turns Into Ink: As the mushroom matures, its gills dissolve into a black, ink-like liquid. This natural process, called deliquescence, helps release its spores.

– A Woodland Favourite: It is often found in deciduous woodland, particularly near beech trees, growing in rich soils during autumn.

Jack-o’-lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus species, such as Omphalotus illudens or Omphalotus olearius)

(FTF 001) – Name the Mushroom, Fugus or Fungi?

Cluster of bright yellow-to-orange, gilled mushrooms growing on wood or buried roots,

Three Fascinating Facts

– Not a True Chanterelle: Jack-o’-lantern mushrooms have sharp, blade-like gills that run down the stem. True chanterelles have softer, folded ridges rather than proper gills.

– They Can Glow in the Dark: Fresh, young Jack-o’-lantern mushrooms can sometimes produce a faint greenish glow from their gills, visible in complete darkness. This natural phenomenon is called bioluminescence.

– Beautiful but Poisonous: These bright orange mushrooms often grow in large clusters on tree stumps and decaying wood. Despite their attractive appearance, they contain toxins that can cause severe stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea. They should never be eaten.

Deer Mushroom (Pluteus cervinus, also known as the Deer Shield

(FTF 002) – Name the Mushroom, Fugus or Fungi?

A brown-capped mushroom with a slender white stem growing near wood and leaf litter

Three Fascinating Facts

– Gills That Change Colour: The Deer Shield mushroom has free gills that don’t attach to the stem. They start white when young and gradually turn pinkish or flesh-coloured as the spores mature.

– A Woodland Recycler: Rather than growing from living trees, it feeds on decaying wood, commonly appearing on rotting stumps, fallen logs and woody debris from broadleaf trees.

– An Unusual Flavour: Although considered edible, the Deer Shield is not particularly prized for its taste, which is often compared to radishes or raw potatoes. It requires thorough cooking before consumption.

Felted Twiglet (Tubaria conspersa) or Scurfy Twiglet (Tubaria furfuracea).

(FTF 003) – Name the Mushroom, Fugus or Fungi?

Pale-brown to russet-brown mushrooms with slender stems growing among leaf litter and woody debris

Three Fascinating Facts

– Changing Colours: These tiny mushrooms have caps that can change colour as they dry out, sometimes appearing darker when damp and paler when dry. This characteristic is known as hygrophany.

– A Love of Woodland Debris: They commonly grow on twigs, wood chips and fallen leaves in damp woodland and gardens, making use of decaying organic material.

– Small but Not for Eating: Despite their delicate appearance, these mushrooms are generally considered inedible. Their fine scales and fleecy white remnants around the cap margins give them a distinctive appearance.

Mica Caps (Coprinellus micaceus), also commonly known as glistening inkcaps or shiny caps.

(FTF 004) – Name the Mushroom, Fugus or Fungi?

Three Fascinating Facts

– A Shimmering Cap: The Mica Cap gets its name from tiny, sparkling granules on its cap that resemble flakes of mica. These glistening particles can disappear after heavy rain washes them away.

– A Love of Rotting Wood: These mushrooms often grow in large, crowded clusters on tree stumps, decaying logs and buried wood, helping nature recycle decomposing timber.

– They Turn to Ink: As they mature, their gills gradually break down into a dark, black, ink-like liquid. This process, known as deliquescence, helps release their spores.

Spindle Toughshank (Gymnopus fusipes, formerly Collybia fusipes).

(FTF 011) – Name the Mushroom, Fugus or Fungi?

Orange-brown, irregularly shaped mushrooms emerging from leaf litter at the base of a tree

Three Fascinating Facts

– Unusual Wavy Caps: Their orange-brown to reddish-tan caps often have irregular, undulating edges, giving each mushroom a distinctive, almost ruffled appearance.

– Growing Together: Their brown, fibrous stems can fuse or cluster at the base, making several mushrooms appear to grow as one group.

– Hidden Woodland Connections: They grow from decaying wood or root litter near deciduous trees, helping break down dead organic material and recycle nutrients back into the woodland.

Bonnet mushrooms (Mycena species) or Fiberhead mushrooms (Inocybe species)

(FTF 006) – Name the Mushroom, Fugus or Fungi?

Gilled mushroom with a glossy, brownish or purplish-tinted convex cap, radial striations (lines) toward the edge, and a slender, pale or brownish stem growing on woody debris.

Three Fascinating Facts

– Tiny Woodland Wonders: Bonnet mushrooms (Mycena species) are often delicate and small, with slender stems and bell-shaped caps. Despite their size, they can be found in impressive numbers across woodland floors.

– Nature’s Recyclers: Many Mycena and Inocybe mushrooms grow among fallen leaves, twigs and decaying wood. They help recycle nutrients by breaking down organic matter or, in some cases, forming partnerships with tree roots.

– Beautiful but Best Left Alone: Some bonnet mushrooms have unusual features, including glowing species such as the bioluminescent Mycena chlorophos. Many Fiberhead mushrooms (Inocybe) contain the toxin muscarine and should never be eaten.