Welcome to Mushroom World

Step into the fascinating world of mushrooms with Mushroom World - your go-to resource for fungi information. Our site is a comprehensive resource offering information and stunning images of mushrooms. If you're curious about what fungi actually are and how they differ from plants and animals, be sure to visit our what are fungi? page for an easy-to-understand explanation.

Since there are thousands of known species of mushrooms, we have tried to limit those we list to the most common ones. New species are also continuously added to the site.

So come on in and explore the wonders of mushrooms with us. We hope you find our site informative, inspiring, and a valuable resource on your journey of mushroom discovery.

Below is an overview of the main features and functionalities of our site.

Browse the database

You can browse the database from the alphabetical list or search the database based on mushroom names or properties.

Help identify a mushroom

If you know the characteristics of a mushroom but need help identifying it, try using our mushroom identification helper. It is a tool designed to assist you in identifying mushrooms that you may come across. If you're new to mushroom identification, be sure to check out our mushroom identification basics guide for an easy introduction to key features and terminology.

Identification Quiz

We have also created a quiz where you can test your fungi identification knowledge. You can repeat the quiz as many times as you want, each time with new questions.

Upload mushroom pictures

If you have pictures of mushrooms you would like to have included on our site, please use the upload form to upload these files and we will see if we can include them.

Today's Mushroom

Today's mushroom is Parasola plicatilis (Umbrella Inky Cap). It grows in North America, Europe.

Dimensions: Cap 0.8–2 cm; stem 4-8 cm tall * 1-2 mm diameter

Description: Parasola plicatilis, also known as Umbrella inky cap is a small parasol-like agaric that can be found in grassy areas, alone, scattered or in small groups. The fruiting bodies grow at night after rain and will self-decompose after spore dispersion is achieved.

Cap buff, more cinnamon at the centre and later with a grey tinge at the margin. The shape is ovoid at first, becoming convex or bell-shaped, then flat and finally shallowly convex like a parasol. Gills pallid clay, soon grey and finally black, free from the stem, close or nearly distant. Stem white or buff and is equal in width above a slightly swollen base. It is fragile and hollow, with a bald or very finely silky surface. There is no ring. Spore print black.

Microscopic Features: The spores have an almond-shaped appearance, with an irregularly ellipsoidal shape in minor axis cross-section and an ellipsoidal shape in major axis cross-section. They measure 10-13 x 7-10.5 x 6.5-8μm and have an eccentric germ pore.

Parasola plicatilis on the First Nature Web site.
Parasola plicatilis on the MushroomExpert.Com Web site.

This site contains no information about the edibility or toxicity of the mushroom.

If you are interested in this mushroom, look it up in our database. You can find more detailed pictures there.

Many mushrooms are poisonous, and some can be lethally toxic. Distinguishing between edible and poisonous mushrooms can be very challenging. Therefore, we strongly advise against consuming wild mushrooms. This website does not contain any information about the edibility or toxicity of mushrooms.

Although efforts have been made to ensure accuracy on this website, the information may contain errors and omissions. Therefore, all content provided is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be relied upon or used as a basis for consuming any plants or mushrooms.