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 Cortinarius violaceus (Violet Cort). It grows in North America, Europe.

Dimensions: Cap 6-12 cm diameter, stem 5-12 cm tall * 1-2 cm thick

Description: Cortinarius violaceus, also known as the Violet Webcap or Violet Cort is a fungus in the webcap genus Cortinarius native across the Northern Hemisphere. The mushroom grows in limestone and chalk-rich woodland habitats mainly under Beeches and other broadleaf trees but also very occasionally with conifers. This mushroom fruits in late summer and autumn.

Cap starts as convex, then becomes broadly convex, nearly flat, or slightly bell-shaped. Its texture shifts from densely hairy to fuzzy or scaly, while its colour changes from deep purple to brownish purple and eventually dark brown. Gills adnate (attached to the stem), moderately spaced and purple when young. As the spores mature, the gills turn rusty brown and eventually they are stained dark by the spores. Stem swollen at the base or assumes a club-like shape, purple and fibrous. Spore print rusty brown.

Microscopic Features: Spores are ellipsoidal to amygdaliform (resembling an almond) in shape, measuring 11.5-14.5 x 7-9μm. They have thick walls and a somewhat ventricose appearance (slightly swollen on one side). The spores are inamyloid.

Cortinarius violaceus on the First Nature Web site.
Cortinarius violaceus 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.