Species details
Wrinkled shield
Pluteus phlebophorus
Conditional / expert preparation
Photo: Jerzy Opioła · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo source · License
Description
A small brownish shield mushroom with a characteristically radially wrinkled cap on heavily decayed hardwood.
Identification features
Cap about 1–6 cm, reddish- to olive-brown, rough and radially wrinkled. Gills are free, white at first and pink when mature. Stem whitish to slightly yellowish.
Identification checklist
Check the small brown cap with distinct radial wrinkles, free gills and growth on heavily decayed wood.
Detailed features
- Cap
- Cap about 1–6 cm, reddish- to olive-brown, rough and radially wrinkled.
- Hymenophore
- The gills are free, initially white and pink when mature.
- Stem
- Stem whitish to slightly yellowish.
Size
- Cap diameter
- 1–6 cm
Habitat
Grows on heavily decayed hardwood, especially beech, also sawdust and wood chips, from summer to autumn.
Fruiting period
June, July, August, September, October
Ecology
- Host trees
- Beech (Fagus)
- Substrate
- Wood
- Notes
- Grows on heavily decayed hardwood, especially beech, also sawdust and wood chips, from summer to autumn.
How to separate similar species
The source describes it as rare and red-listed in parts of Europe. Because of its small size and similarity to other Pluteus species, AI confidence should remain modest.
Similar species
- Deer shield (Pluteus cervinus)
- Pluteus nanus
- Pluteus thomsonii