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 Cyathus striatus (Fluted Bird's Nest). It grows in Europe, Asia, North America.

Dimensions: Cap 6-8 mm diameter, 7-10 mm height

Description: Cyathus striatus, commonly known as the Fluted Bird’s Nest, is a fascinating saprobic fungus recognized for its unique fruiting body that resembles a tiny bird’s nest filled with eggs. It typically grows on decaying wood, bark, or plant debris in damp, shaded environments such as forest floors or garden mulch. This species is particularly noted for its fluted, hairy exterior and the small, lens-shaped peridioles (“eggs”) inside, which contain the spores.

Fruiting body begins as a fluffy, light-brown inverted cone and matures into a vase-shaped structure. As it ages, the pale lid that initially covers the opening falls away, often collapsing inside the nest to reveal four or five silvery, egg-like structures called peridioles. The outer surface of the nest is shaggy to woolly, grayish-buff to dark brown, and covered in tufts of fine hairs. In contrast, the inner surface is smooth, shiny, and distinctly fluted, an identifying feature reflected in both the species’ common name and its Latin epithet striatus. The peridioles, up to 2 mm wide, are ellipsoid to roughly triangular, sheathed, and attached to the nest by tiny cords known as funiculi. Spore print white.

Microscopic Features: Spores measure 15–20 x 8–12 µm and are ellipsoid in shape. They are smooth, have thick walls, and feature a distinct notch.

Cyathus striatus on the www.first-nature.com web site.
Cyathus striatus 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.