Species details
Fool's funnel
Clitocybe rivulosa
Poisonous
Photo: pinonbistro · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo source · License
Description
A small whitish funnel with a frosted cap that may develop concentric zones; it contains dangerous levels of muscarine.
Identification features
The cap is small, whitish to cream, frosted when young, later sometimes cracked or watery-zoned. Pale gills run slightly down the slender pale stem.
Identification checklist
Look for the small whitish frosted cap, pale decurrent gills and grassland habitat. White funnels cannot be identified safely enough for food by macroscopic appearance alone.
How to separate similar species
It can be confused with edible Clitopilus prunulus and other pale funnels. Because of muscarine, such confusion can be life-threatening.
Habitat
Grows mainly in meadows, lawns, pastures and other grassy places, often in groups, from summer to autumn.
Fruiting period
July, August, September, October, November
Similar species
- Ivory funnel (Clitocybe dealbata)
- The miller (Clitopilus prunulus)
- Leucocybe candicans