Mushroom identification
Welcome to the mushroom identification helper, a tool designed to assist you in identifying mushrooms that you may come across. Before using this tool, we highly recommend that you make a spore print of the mushroom you wish to identify, as this is an essential characteristic for accurate identification. Please also consider that identifying mushrooms is non trivial and that there is a big chance that you as a beginner get the id wrong. We recommend that you read the beginner's guide to mushroom identification basics for additional information and guidance.
To begin the identification process, select the main group (genus) that the mushroom belongs to based on the characteristics listed on this page. You can jump directly to one of the main sections by the following links:
Mushrooms with white or cream sporesGreenish spored Agarics
Pink, brown and black spored Agarics
Fungi other than those with gills
Fungi that doesn't fit into any previous category
Mushrooms with white or cream spores
A significant characteristic for the agarics in the following groups or genuses is that they have white spore prints.
Amanita
The mushrooms in this group are characterized by having either a bag (volva) or a bulb with usually a rim at the base of the stem, and the majority of them also have a ring on the stem.
Armillaria
Grows on or near trees, very often in large clumps.
Cantharellus and Craterellus
The mushrooms in this group have gill-like wrinkles rather than gills.
Clitocybe
The gills run down the stem (decurrent) in most of the species and the cap is usually convex or funnel-shaped.
Collybia and Megacollybia
Mushrooms in this group have gills that are typically attached to the stem. They do not run down the stem but stop at the attachment point. The gills are usually narrow and closely spaced. The stem of Collybia mushrooms is typically thin and fibrous.
Lepiota and Macrolepiota
Usually have rings on the stem and scales on the cap. Some are very large, some small.
Laccaria
The main species in this group are very common. The stem is fibrous and gills are usually attached to the stem.
Lactarius
The species in this group exude droplets of milky-white, coloured or transparent liquid when damaged. The stem is usually brittle and does not have a ring or partial veil.
Marasmius
The species in this group are mostly small and white with tough flesh. The stem is typically long, thin, and tough, with a smooth or slightly fibrous texture. It is usually equal in width throughout and does not have a ring or partial veil.
Melanoleuca
The caps are normally flat with a central umbo. The stem is fibrous.
Mycena
Very small species with thin stems and mainly conical caps. Some exude a liquid on breaking the stem.
Pleurotus
Mushrooms in the Pleurotus genus, often called "oyster mushrooms," are characterized by their broad, fan-shaped or oyster-shaped caps. They grow on wood or debris. The stem is either lateral or almost absent.
Russula
Very common in woods, often with bright colours. The gills and flesh are brittle, the gills white or creamy and the stem does not have a ring or partial veil.
Tricholoma and Tricholomopsis
The species in this group are generally brown, grey, white or yellow and thick-fleshed with a stout appearance.
Greenish spored Agarics
A significant characteristic for the agarics in the following groups is that they have a greenish spore print.
Green spored Chlorophyllum
The species in this group has greenish spores, causing them to have greenish gills.
Pink, brown and black spored Agarics
A significant characteristic for the agarics in the following groups or genuses is that they have either pink, brown or black spore prints.
Agaricus
The mushrooms in this genus have a cap and stem, with gills on the underside of the cap that are initially pink and then turn dark brown as the mushroom matures. The flesh of the mushroom is typically white and firm. Some have brown caps, some white.
Coprinus, Coprinopsis and Coprinellus
The mushrooms in this group are Inc Caps. The gills very quickly turn to a black liquid in most of the members of these genuses.
Cortinarius
A very large and varied genus. Most have a distinct cobweb-like partial veil called a cortina that covers the gills when the mushroom is young, but often disappears as the mushroom matures. All Cortinarius mushrooms have spores that are rusty brown in color, and their caps can range in color from brown and red to purple and yellow.
Entolomatoid Mushrooms
The gills of the species in this genus are usually attached to the stem and eventually turn pink as the pink spores mature. Most of them grow in grass.
Galerina
The mushrooms in the Galerina genus typically have a conical to bell-shaped cap, a slender stalk and gills that are attached to the stem. They obtain nutrients from decomposing organic matter, meaning they often grow on tree stumps.
Kuehneromyces
Mushrooms in the Kuehneromyces genus are characterized by their small to medium-sized fruiting bodies, typically with convex to bell-shaped caps and a central stem. They often have brown or tan colors and gills beneath the cap. They obtain nutrients from decomposing organic matter, meaning they often grow on tree stumps.
Pholiota
Mushrooms in the Pholiota genus typically grow in large clumps on wood, and are characterized by their dry caps that are often covered in scales or fibers. Some species have caps that are sticky to the touch, while others have caps that are very scaly.
Psathyrella
Mushrooms in the Psathyrella genus are typically small to medium-sized fungi characterized by their fragile, thin caps and slender stems. They often have gills that can be gray, or brown and may be attached to the stem or slightly free. Most have conical caps. They often grow in clumps.
Tapinella
Mushrooms in the Tapinella genus are characterized by their reddish-brown to dark brown velvety caps, decurrent gills, and a preference for growing on dead or decaying trees.
Fungi other than those with gills
Boletes
Boletes are a type of mushroom characterized by a fleshy, typically convex cap and a porous or spongy underside instead of gills. They are often found in forested areas and can range in color from brown to red to blue.
Morchella
Mushrooms in the Morchella genus, also known as morels, are characterized by their distinctive honeycomb-like cap and hollow stem.
Gyromitra
Mushrooms in the Gyromitra genus, also known as false morels, are characterized by their irregularly shaped and brain-like caps. They are found in a variety of habitats, including forests, and can range in color from tan to reddish-brown.
Lycoperdon, Calvatia, Bovista and other puffballs
Mushrooms in the Lycoperdon, Calvatia and Bovista genuses, also known as puffballs, are characterized by their round, ball-shaped fruiting bodies that release spores through an opening at the top. They are found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, forests, and disturbed areas, and can range in size from just a few centimeters to over a meter in diameter.
Polypores and similar fungi
Polypores are a group of fungi that have a distinct fruiting body with pores on their undersurface. They are also known as bracket fungi because their fruiting bodies often resemble shelves or brackets that grow on trees or logs.
Tooth fungus
Tooth fungus are characterized by their tooth-like projections on the underside of their cap, instead of traditional gills. They often have a fleshy, funnel-shaped cap, and can range in color from brown to orange to yellow.
Cup fungi
Cup fungi are a group of fungi characterized by their cup-shaped fruiting bodies, which resemble small, often colorful bowls or cups. These fungi typically belong to the Ascomycota phylum and are known for their diverse colors and habitats. They are commonly found growing on decaying wood, leaf litter, or in soil.
Fungi that doesn't fit into any previous category
Other
This section contains fungi that do not fit into any of the previous sections. It mainly comprises odd and rare species.
Many mushrooms are poisonous and some are lethally poisonous. It can be very difficult to distinguish between an edible and a poisonous mushroom. Because of that, we recommend that you never eat wild mushrooms, and this site 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, the information presented here is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as any basis for consuming any plants or mushrooms.