{ "title": "Mushroom guide catalogue", "description": "The mushroom guides on World Mushroom Foraging with names, iNaturalist taxon ids, season and habitat notes, the printed safety warning, review status and page links. Edibility ratings are deliberately not part of this dataset.", "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "attribution": "World Mushroom Foraging (Mushroom Forage Map), https://worldmushroomforaging.org", "notice": "A map observation is not an identification. Never eat a wild mushroom based on this data.", "notes": "Written by the World Mushroom Foraging field desk. Independent expert review is pending.", "snapshot": "2026-09-27", "rows": [ { "slug": "morel", "common_name": "Morel", "latin_name": "Morchella esculenta", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 58682, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Spring, shifting with latitude and elevation", "habitat": "Disturbed woods, burn edges, orchards, and cottonwood corridors", "safety_warning": "Toxic raw or undercooked. False morels can cause severe poisoning.", "lookalike_count": 2, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/morel", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/morel.md" }, { "slug": "king-bolete", "common_name": "King Bolete", "latin_name": "Boletus edulis", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48701, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer through fall after sustained moisture", "habitat": "Conifer and mixed forest, often at montane elevations", "safety_warning": "Skip boletes with red or orange pores or strong blue bruising until an expert has ruled out toxic species.", "lookalike_count": 2, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/king-bolete", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/king-bolete.md" }, { "slug": "rainbow-chanterelle", "common_name": "Rainbow Chanterelle", "latin_name": "Cantharellus roseocanus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 499666, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late summer through fall", "habitat": "Moist spruce and other conifer forest", "safety_warning": "True gills or growth in dense clusters on wood point away from chanterelles and toward possible toxic lookalikes.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/rainbow-chanterelle", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/rainbow-chanterelle.md" }, { "slug": "lobster-mushroom", "common_name": "Lobster Mushroom", "latin_name": "Hypomyces lactifluorum", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48215, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Mid-summer through fall", "habitat": "Conifer and mixed forest floor, often partly buried", "safety_warning": "Reject soft, purple-tinged, foul, or badly decayed specimens because the original host can no longer be identified.", "lookalike_count": 2, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/lobster-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/lobster-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "oyster-mushroom", "common_name": "Oyster Mushroom", "latin_name": "Pleurotus ostreatus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48494, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Cool weather, including spring, fall, and winter thaws", "habitat": "Dead or declining hardwood; substrate helps separate similar Pleurotus species", "safety_warning": "Confirm the substrate and spore print. Thin white fans on conifer wood may be angel wings, which have been implicated in severe illness.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/oyster-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/oyster-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "shaggy-mane", "common_name": "Shaggy Mane", "latin_name": "Coprinus comatus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 47392, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late summer through fall", "habitat": "Lawns, trail edges, compacted ground, and other disturbed soil", "safety_warning": "Only young, all-white specimens are considered edible, and every lawn button should be sliced to rule out an Amanita structure.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/shaggy-mane", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/shaggy-mane.md" }, { "slug": "gem-studded-puffball", "common_name": "Gem-studded Puffball", "latin_name": "Lycoperdon perlatum", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48443, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer through fall", "habitat": "Forest litter, trail edges, and disturbed ground", "safety_warning": "Slice every specimen top to bottom. Any internal cap, gills, stem, dark center, or yellowing rules it out for eating.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/gem-studded-puffball", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/gem-studded-puffball.md" }, { "slug": "hedgehog-mushroom", "common_name": "Hedgehog Mushroom", "latin_name": "Hydnum repandum", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48641, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Late summer through fall", "habitat": "Mossy conifer and mixed forest", "safety_warning": "The toothed group is distinctive, but regional Hydnum taxonomy is complex. Confirm all field marks and local range.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/hedgehog-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/hedgehog-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "lions-mane", "common_name": "Lion's Mane", "latin_name": "Hericium erinaceus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 49158, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Late summer through fall", "habitat": "Wounds in living hardwoods and fallen hardwood logs", "safety_warning": "Supplement claims outpace human evidence. A wild identification and a medicinal claim are separate questions.", "lookalike_count": 2, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/lions-mane", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/lions-mane.md" }, { "slug": "fly-agaric", "common_name": "Fly Agaric", "latin_name": "Amanita muscaria", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48715, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Summer through fall", "habitat": "Under conifers and birch", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Muscimol and ibotenic acid products are not a safe shortcut, and ordinary cooking does not make this mushroom safe.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/fly-agaric", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/fly-agaric.md" }, { "slug": "destroying-angel", "common_name": "Destroying Angel", "latin_name": "Amanita bisporigera", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 125390, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Summer through fall in eastern North America", "habitat": "Woodland soil near host trees", "safety_warning": "Potentially fatal. If ingestion is possible, call Poison Control immediately before symptoms appear.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/destroying-angel", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/destroying-angel.md" }, { "slug": "false-morel", "common_name": "False Morel", "latin_name": "Gyromitra esculenta", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 85120, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Spring near snowmelt", "habitat": "Conifer forest and disturbed ground", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. The site does not endorse traditional detoxification methods, and cooking fumes have caused illness.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/false-morel", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/false-morel.md" }, { "slug": "chicken-of-the-woods", "common_name": "Chicken of the Woods", "latin_name": "Laetiporus sulphureus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 53713, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Late spring through fall", "habitat": "Living or dead hardwood trunks, stumps, and buried roots", "safety_warning": "Regional Laetiporus species and host trees matter. Cook thoroughly and try only a small portion because gastrointestinal reactions occur.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/chicken-of-the-woods", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/chicken-of-the-woods.md" }, { "slug": "golden-chanterelle", "common_name": "Golden Chanterelle", "latin_name": "Cantharellus cibarius", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 47347, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer through fall after sustained moisture", "habitat": "Soil in mature broadleaf and conifer forests, depending on region", "safety_warning": "Golden chanterelles are a regional species complex. Confirm local taxonomy and rule out orange, gilled mushrooms growing from wood.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/golden-chanterelle", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/golden-chanterelle.md" }, { "slug": "giant-puffball", "common_name": "Giant Puffball", "latin_name": "Calvatia gigantea", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 57692, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Summer through fall", "habitat": "Meadows, pasture edges, open woods, parks, and rich disturbed soil", "safety_warning": "Slice the entire specimen. Edible-stage flesh must be uniformly white with no internal outline, discoloration, or forming cap and gills.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/giant-puffball", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/giant-puffball.md" }, { "slug": "hen-of-the-woods", "common_name": "Hen of the Woods", "latin_name": "Grifola frondosa", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 53714, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late summer through fall", "habitat": "At the base of mature oaks and other hardwoods, often recurring on the same tree", "safety_warning": "Use young, fresh fronds and confirm the white pore surface. Similar rosette polypores differ in staining, color, and texture.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/hen-of-the-woods", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/hen-of-the-woods.md" }, { "slug": "turkey-tail", "common_name": "Turkey Tail", "latin_name": "Trametes versicolor", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 54134, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Year-round where moisture permits", "habitat": "Overlapping shelves on dead hardwood logs, stumps, and branches", "safety_warning": "Color bands alone do not identify turkey tail. Confirm a velvety cap and a true pore surface; medical extracts are not equivalent to a wild tea or supplement.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/turkey-tail", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/turkey-tail.md" }, { "slug": "western-matsutake", "common_name": "Western Matsutake", "latin_name": "Tricholoma murrillianum", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 521711, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Fall into early winter near the Pacific coast; earlier in some interior mountains", "habitat": "Deep duff under conifers, madrone, and other regional host trees", "safety_warning": "Amanita smithiana can resemble matsutake and cause kidney failure. This is not a beginner edible; use a qualified regional expert.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/western-matsutake", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/western-matsutake.md" }, { "slug": "meadow-mushroom", "common_name": "Meadow Mushroom", "latin_name": "Agaricus campestris", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 143563, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Spring through fall after rain", "habitat": "Lawns, pastures, playing fields, and other grassy soil", "safety_warning": "White lawn mushrooms are a high-consequence identification problem. Dig the entire base and rule out deadly Amanita and yellow-staining Agaricus.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/meadow-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/meadow-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "black-trumpet", "common_name": "Black Trumpet", "latin_name": "Craterellus cornucopioides", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48607, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Varies by region; western US records can extend from late fall into early spring", "habitat": "Leaf litter in mature broadleaf and mixed forest", "safety_warning": "Dark cup fungi and regional Craterellus species require comparison. Confirm the thin hollow trumpet and smooth outer surface.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/black-trumpet", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/black-trumpet.md" }, { "slug": "saffron-milk-cap", "common_name": "Saffron Milk Cap", "latin_name": "Lactarius deliciosus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 155197, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late summer through fall", "habitat": "Soil beneath pines, including plantations in introduced ranges", "safety_warning": "The deliciosus group contains regional species with different ranges and flavors. Confirm latex color, staining, gills, and host tree.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/saffron-milk-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/saffron-milk-cap.md" }, { "slug": "death-cap", "common_name": "Death Cap", "latin_name": "Amanita phalloides", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 52135, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Late summer through winter, depending on climate", "habitat": "Soil near oaks and other host trees in native and introduced ranges", "safety_warning": "Potentially fatal. If ingestion is possible, contact a poison center immediately and do not wait for symptoms.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/death-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/death-cap.md" }, { "slug": "green-spored-parasol", "common_name": "Green-spored Parasol", "latin_name": "Chlorophyllum molybdites", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 117308, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Warm, wet weather from spring through fall", "habitat": "Lawns, parks, golf courses, and grassy disturbed soil", "safety_warning": "Poisonous and capable of causing severe vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Never use cap shape alone to identify a parasol.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/green-spored-parasol", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/green-spored-parasol.md" }, { "slug": "jack-o-lantern", "common_name": "Jack-o'-lantern", "latin_name": "Omphalotus illudens", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 126831, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer through fall", "habitat": "Hardwood stumps, buried roots, and the bases of dead or declining trees", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. It is repeatedly mistaken for chanterelles; growth from wood and sharp true gills are critical differences.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/jack-o-lantern", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/jack-o-lantern.md" }, { "slug": "deadly-galerina", "common_name": "Deadly Galerina", "latin_name": "Galerina marginata", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 154735, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Year-round in mild wet climates, especially fall", "habitat": "Decaying conifer and hardwood logs, stumps, and woody debris", "safety_warning": "Potentially fatal. Never eat little brown mushrooms from wood, and contact a poison center immediately after a possible ingestion.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/deadly-galerina", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/deadly-galerina.md" }, { "slug": "common-earthball", "common_name": "Common Earthball", "latin_name": "Scleroderma citrinum", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 55927, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer through fall", "habitat": "Acidic soil, moss, path edges, and rotting wood near trees", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Cut every puffball-like mushroom vertically; earthballs develop a dark, firm center while edible-stage puffballs remain uniform white.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/common-earthball", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/common-earthball.md" }, { "slug": "common-ink-cap", "common_name": "Common Ink Cap", "latin_name": "Coprinopsis atramentaria", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48521, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Spring through fall", "habitat": "Buried wood, stumps, roots, lawns, and disturbed ground near hardwoods", "safety_warning": "Coprine can cause flushing, pounding heartbeat, nausea, and low blood pressure when alcohol is consumed around the same time.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/common-ink-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/common-ink-cap.md" }, { "slug": "rocky-mountain-porcini", "common_name": "Rocky Mountain Porcini", "latin_name": "Boletus rubriceps", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 499696, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Mid-summer through early fall after monsoon moisture", "habitat": "High-elevation spruce and fir forest in the southern Rocky Mountains", "safety_warning": "Confirm pale stem reticulation, non-blue-staining pores, and local range. Avoid all red-pored or strongly blue-staining boletes as a beginner.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/rocky-mountain-porcini", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/rocky-mountain-porcini.md" }, { "slug": "spring-king-bolete", "common_name": "Spring King Bolete", "latin_name": "Boletus rex-veris", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 438025, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Spring into early summer near snowmelt", "habitat": "Montane pine forest in western North America", "safety_warning": "Western bolete names overlap. Confirm pine habitat, stem reticulation, pore color, bruising, and an expert-supported regional record.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/spring-king-bolete", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/spring-king-bolete.md" }, { "slug": "aspen-bolete", "common_name": "Aspen Bolete", "latin_name": "Leccinum insigne", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 122466, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Summer through early fall", "habitat": "Soil beneath aspen in western North America", "safety_warning": "Western Leccinum have caused gastrointestinal illness even after cooking. Regional identification and thorough cooking do not eliminate individual risk.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-08-15", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/aspen-bolete", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/aspen-bolete.md" }, { "slug": "reishi", "common_name": "Hemlock Reishi", "latin_name": "Ganoderma tsugae", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 63274, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Fresh growth from late spring to summer; old shelves persist", "habitat": "Dead or dying hemlock and other conifers in eastern North America", "safety_warning": "Woody and inedible as food. Health claims are not established; ask a clinician before using extracts, especially with blood-thinning medicines.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/reishi", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/reishi.md" }, { "slug": "chaga", "common_name": "Chaga", "latin_name": "Inonotus obliquus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 127021, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Visible year-round", "habitat": "Living and dying birch in boreal and cool temperate forests of the Northern Hemisphere", "safety_warning": "Not a food mushroom. Heavy, long-term chaga tea use has been linked to oxalate kidney injury.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/chaga", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/chaga.md" }, { "slug": "wood-ear", "common_name": "Jelly Ear", "latin_name": "Auricularia auricula-judae", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 1138427, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Year-round in mild, wet weather; most common in autumn and winter", "habitat": "Dead branches of elder, sycamore, and other hardwoods", "safety_warning": "Cook before eating. Soak dried wood ears briefly and refrigerate; long room-temperature soaking has caused severe bacterial toxin poisoning.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/wood-ear", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/wood-ear.md" }, { "slug": "cauliflower-mushroom", "common_name": "Cauliflower Mushroom", "latin_name": "Sparassis crispa", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 63014, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "At the base of pines and other conifers, attached to roots", "safety_warning": "Clean thoroughly and cook. Soft, discolored, or bitter specimens should be left.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/cauliflower-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/cauliflower-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "indigo-milk-cap", "common_name": "Indigo Milk Cap", "latin_name": "Lactarius indigo", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 1366733, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Oak and pine forests of eastern North America, Mexico, Central America, and parts of Asia", "safety_warning": "Confirm the blue latex. Blue color alone can fade in older specimens.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/indigo-milk-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/indigo-milk-cap.md" }, { "slug": "dryads-saddle", "common_name": "Dryad's Saddle", "latin_name": "Cerioporus squamosus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 940028, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Spring to early summer, sometimes autumn", "habitat": "Living and dead hardwoods such as elm, maple, and box elder", "safety_warning": "Only young, tender edges are worth eating. Tough, older shelves are indigestible.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/dryads-saddle", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/dryads-saddle.md" }, { "slug": "beefsteak-fungus", "common_name": "Beefsteak Fungus", "latin_name": "Fistulina hepatica", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 123897, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Trunks of oak and sweet chestnut", "safety_warning": "Sour and acidic; soak or cook, and avoid old, soft specimens.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/beefsteak-fungus", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/beefsteak-fungus.md" }, { "slug": "candy-cap", "common_name": "Candy Cap", "latin_name": "Lactarius rubidus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 55276, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Autumn to winter rains", "habitat": "Rotting wood and debris under oaks and conifers along the Pacific coast of North America", "safety_warning": "Small brown mushrooms on wood include deadly Galerina. Confirm the watery latex and the aroma on every specimen.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/candy-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/candy-cap.md" }, { "slug": "pacific-golden-chanterelle", "common_name": "Pacific Golden Chanterelle", "latin_name": "Cantharellus formosus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 120443, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late summer to winter", "habitat": "Douglas-fir and western hemlock forests of the Pacific Northwest", "safety_warning": "Rule out false chanterelles and jack-o'-lanterns, which have true blade-like gills.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/pacific-golden-chanterelle", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/pacific-golden-chanterelle.md" }, { "slug": "cinnabar-chanterelle", "common_name": "Cinnabar Chanterelle", "latin_name": "Cantharellus cinnabarinus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 143393, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Soil and moss in oak and mixed hardwood forests of eastern North America", "safety_warning": "Small red mushrooms include waxcaps and other species. Confirm blunt ridges rather than true gills.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/cinnabar-chanterelle", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/cinnabar-chanterelle.md" }, { "slug": "yellowfoot", "common_name": "Yellowfoot", "latin_name": "Craterellus tubaeformis", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 350511, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Autumn to winter", "habitat": "Moss, rotting wood, and needle litter in wet conifer forests", "safety_warning": "Small brown mushrooms with true gills, including deadly webcaps, grow in the same moss. Check for hollow stems and blunt ridges.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/yellowfoot", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/yellowfoot.md" }, { "slug": "wood-blewit", "common_name": "Wood Blewit", "latin_name": "Collybia nuda", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 1525548, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late autumn to early winter", "habitat": "Leaf litter, compost heaps, and woodland edges", "safety_warning": "Always take a spore print: violet webcaps have rusty-brown spores and some are dangerous. Cook thoroughly; some people react even to cooked blewits.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/wood-blewit", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/wood-blewit.md" }, { "slug": "parasol-mushroom", "common_name": "Parasol Mushroom", "latin_name": "Macrolepiota procera", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 63401, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Grassland, meadows, and open woodland edges", "safety_warning": "Confirm a white spore print and a movable ring. Small Lepiota species with similar scales can be deadly.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/parasol-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/parasol-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "shaggy-parasol", "common_name": "Shaggy Parasol", "latin_name": "Chlorophyllum rhacodes", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 56535, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Conifer litter, gardens, compost, and woodland edges", "safety_warning": "Causes gastrointestinal upset in some people. The green-spored parasol is similar; take a spore print every time.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/shaggy-parasol", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/shaggy-parasol.md" }, { "slug": "honey-mushroom", "common_name": "Honey Mushroom", "latin_name": "Armillaria mellea", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 55950, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Stumps, roots, and living trees in hardwood and mixed forests", "safety_warning": "Always cook thoroughly; raw or undercooked honey mushrooms cause vomiting. Deadly Galerina grows on the same wood.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/honey-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/honey-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "velvet-shank", "common_name": "Velvet Shank", "latin_name": "Flammulina velutipes", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 67594, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Late autumn through winter, even after frost", "habitat": "Dead or dying hardwood, especially elm, willow, and ash", "safety_warning": "Deadly Galerina grows on wood in the same cold months. Check for a white spore print and the absence of a ring.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/velvet-shank", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/velvet-shank.md" }, { "slug": "wine-cap", "common_name": "Wine Cap", "latin_name": "Stropharia rugosoannulata", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 119151, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Spring to autumn", "habitat": "Wood chips, straw, garden beds, and rich disturbed ground", "safety_warning": "Take a spore print. Other mulch mushrooms, including Agaricus and Pholiotina, grow in the same beds.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/wine-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/wine-cap.md" }, { "slug": "bay-bolete", "common_name": "Bay Bolete", "latin_name": "Imleria badia", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 510854, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Conifer and mixed forests on acidic soil", "safety_warning": "Avoid boletes with red or orange pores and any with a bitter taste. Cook thoroughly.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/bay-bolete", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/bay-bolete.md" }, { "slug": "slippery-jack", "common_name": "Slippery Jack", "latin_name": "Suillus luteus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 53488, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Autumn", "habitat": "Under pines, including planted pines in the Southern Hemisphere", "safety_warning": "Peel the slimy cap skin before cooking; the slime causes digestive upset in some people.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/slippery-jack", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/slippery-jack.md" }, { "slug": "old-man-of-the-woods", "common_name": "Old Man of the Woods", "latin_name": "Strobilomyces strobilaceus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 352462, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Oak and mixed hardwood forests", "safety_warning": "Edible but mediocre. Cook well, and confirm it is a bolete with pores.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/old-man-of-the-woods", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/old-man-of-the-woods.md" }, { "slug": "pine-bolete", "common_name": "Pine Bolete", "latin_name": "Boletus pinophilus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 335942, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Pine and spruce forests on acidic soil", "safety_warning": "Rule out bitter and red-pored boletes. Taste a tiny raw piece and spit it out; bitterness means bitter bolete.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/pine-bolete", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/pine-bolete.md" }, { "slug": "summer-bolete", "common_name": "Summer Bolete", "latin_name": "Boletus reticulatus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 350216, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late spring to early autumn", "habitat": "Oak, beech, and other broadleaf woodland", "safety_warning": "Rule out the bitter bolete, which has a dark net and pinkish pores.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/summer-bolete", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/summer-bolete.md" }, { "slug": "orange-birch-bolete", "common_name": "Orange Birch Bolete", "latin_name": "Leccinum versipelle", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 343661, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "With birch, in heath, woods, and parks", "safety_warning": "Cook thoroughly. Raw or undercooked Leccinum has caused gastrointestinal illness, and some North American orange Leccinum are implicated in poisonings.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/orange-birch-bolete", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/orange-birch-bolete.md" }, { "slug": "brown-birch-bolete", "common_name": "Brown Birch Bolete", "latin_name": "Leccinum scabrum", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 63232, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "With birch in woods, heath, and parks", "safety_warning": "Cook thoroughly, and discard old, soft caps. Some people react to Leccinum even when cooked.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/brown-birch-bolete", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/brown-birch-bolete.md" }, { "slug": "st-georges-mushroom", "common_name": "St George's Mushroom", "latin_name": "Calocybe gambosa", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 450829, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Spring, around late April and May in Europe", "habitat": "Grassland edges, hedgerows, and woodland margins, often in rings", "safety_warning": "The deadly fibrecap and livid pinkgill also fruit in spring. Confirm a white spore print, mealy smell, and no reddening.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/st-georges-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/st-georges-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "fairy-ring-mushroom", "common_name": "Fairy Ring Mushroom", "latin_name": "Marasmius oreades", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 118240, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Late spring to autumn after rain", "habitat": "Lawns, pastures, and short grass", "safety_warning": "The fool's funnel grows in the same lawns and is poisonous. Check gill spacing and attachment on every specimen.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/fairy-ring-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/fairy-ring-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "horse-mushroom", "common_name": "Horse Mushroom", "latin_name": "Agaricus arvensis", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 58699, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Pastures, meadows, and grassy verges", "safety_warning": "Destroying angels are white with white gills and a volva. The yellow stainer bruises chrome yellow and smells of ink.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/horse-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/horse-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "amethyst-deceiver", "common_name": "Amethyst Deceiver", "latin_name": "Laccaria amethystina", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 55899, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Leaf and needle litter in broadleaf and conifer woods", "safety_warning": "It can accumulate arsenic from some soils. Lilac bonnet and lilac fibrecap are toxic lookalikes.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/amethyst-deceiver", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/amethyst-deceiver.md" }, { "slug": "blusher", "common_name": "The Blusher", "latin_name": "Amanita rubescens", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 1678242, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Broadleaf and conifer woodland", "safety_warning": "An Amanita. It must be thoroughly cooked, and the panther cap is a dangerous lookalike. North American blushers are separate species.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/blusher", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/blusher.md" }, { "slug": "caesars-mushroom", "common_name": "Caesar's Mushroom", "latin_name": "Amanita caesarea", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 204588, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Oak and chestnut woods of southern Europe and North Africa", "safety_warning": "It is an Amanita. Unopened eggs resemble deadly death cap eggs; cut vertically and confirm yellow internal gills.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/caesars-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/caesars-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "american-caesars-mushroom", "common_name": "American Caesar's Mushroom", "latin_name": "Amanita jacksonii", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 204589, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Summer to early autumn", "habitat": "Oak and pine forests of eastern North America", "safety_warning": "An Amanita. Confirm yellow gills and stem and the white sac volva, and cut eggs vertically.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/american-caesars-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/american-caesars-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "charcoal-burner", "common_name": "Charcoal Burner", "latin_name": "Russula cyanoxantha", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 194437, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Broadleaf woods, especially beech and oak", "safety_warning": "Green-tinged Russulas can be confused with the death cap. Confirm no ring and no volva.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/charcoal-burner", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/charcoal-burner.md" }, { "slug": "shrimp-russula", "common_name": "Shrimp Russula", "latin_name": "Russula xerampelina", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 154875, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Conifer and mixed forests", "safety_warning": "Red Russulas include acrid, toxic species. Confirm the fishy odor, brown staining, and mild taste.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/shrimp-russula", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/shrimp-russula.md" }, { "slug": "weeping-milk-cap", "common_name": "Weeping Milk Cap", "latin_name": "Lactifluus volemus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 1366740, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer", "habitat": "Hardwood and mixed forests", "safety_warning": "Other orange milk caps release acrid latex. Confirm mild, abundant white latex that stains brown.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/weeping-milk-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/weeping-milk-cap.md" }, { "slug": "pigs-ear", "common_name": "Pig's Ear", "latin_name": "Gomphus clavatus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 54121, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Old conifer forests, often in deep needle litter", "safety_warning": "Protected or red-listed in several European countries. The scaly vase chanterelle is a toxic lookalike.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/pigs-ear", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/pigs-ear.md" }, { "slug": "coral-tooth", "common_name": "Coral Tooth Fungus", "latin_name": "Hericium coralloides", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 49162, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Fallen logs and stumps of beech, birch, maple, and other hardwoods", "safety_warning": "Harvest only fresh, white specimens; yellowing ones are bitter.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/coral-tooth", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/coral-tooth.md" }, { "slug": "golden-oyster", "common_name": "Golden Oyster", "latin_name": "Pleurotus citrinopileatus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 504060, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Summer to early autumn", "habitat": "Dead elm and other hardwoods; escaped from cultivation in North America", "safety_warning": "Check host wood and gill attachment, and confirm the white to pale lilac spore print.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/golden-oyster", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/golden-oyster.md" }, { "slug": "mica-cap", "common_name": "Mica Cap", "latin_name": "Coprinellus micaceus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 56318, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Spring to autumn after rain", "habitat": "Stumps, buried roots, and dead hardwood, often in towns", "safety_warning": "Very perishable; cook within hours. Small brown mushrooms on wood also include deadly Galerina.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/mica-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/mica-cap.md" }, { "slug": "aborted-entoloma", "common_name": "Aborted Entoloma", "latin_name": "Entoloma abortivum", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 70222, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Autumn", "habitat": "Near rotting hardwood and buried wood in eastern North America", "safety_warning": "Only the lumpy form is widely eaten. Cut every lump: it must have uniform flesh without internal gills.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/aborted-entoloma", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/aborted-entoloma.md" }, { "slug": "sheathed-woodtuft", "common_name": "Sheathed Woodtuft", "latin_name": "Kuehneromyces mutabilis", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 153033, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Spring to autumn, especially spring and autumn", "habitat": "Stumps and logs of broadleaf trees", "safety_warning": "The deadly Galerina marginata is almost identical. Most experts advise beginners to avoid this species entirely.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/sheathed-woodtuft", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/sheathed-woodtuft.md" }, { "slug": "matsutake", "common_name": "Matsutake", "latin_name": "Tricholoma matsutake", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 62486, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Autumn", "habitat": "Red pine and other pines, in poor, sandy soils", "safety_warning": "Kidney-toxic Amanita smithiana and other white mushrooms can resemble matsutake. Confirm the spicy odor and the lack of a volva.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/matsutake", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/matsutake.md" }, { "slug": "llao-llao", "common_name": "Llao Llao", "latin_name": "Cyttaria hariotii", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 802830, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Southern spring, about October to December", "habitat": "Branches of southern beech (Nothofagus) in Chile and Argentina", "safety_warning": "Collect only fresh, firm balls, and leave galls intact.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/llao-llao", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/llao-llao.md" }, { "slug": "deer-mushroom", "common_name": "Deer Mushroom", "latin_name": "Pluteus cervinus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 1617451, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Spring to autumn", "habitat": "Rotting logs, stumps, sawdust, and buried wood", "safety_warning": "Confirm pink spores and free gills. Some Pluteus contain psychoactive compounds, and Entoloma are toxic.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/deer-mushroom", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/deer-mushroom.md" }, { "slug": "crown-tipped-coral", "common_name": "Crown-tipped Coral", "latin_name": "Artomyces pyxidatus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 334704, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to early autumn", "habitat": "Rotting logs of aspen, willow, poplar, and other hardwoods", "safety_warning": "Many corals grow on soil and some cause digestive upset. Confirm growth on wood and crown-shaped tips.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/crown-tipped-coral", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/crown-tipped-coral.md" }, { "slug": "panther-cap", "common_name": "Panther Cap", "latin_name": "Amanita pantherina", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48418, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Broadleaf and conifer woodland", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Contains ibotenic acid and muscimol, causing confusion, agitation, and seizures. Seek poison-center advice after any ingestion.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/panther-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/panther-cap.md" }, { "slug": "european-destroying-angel", "common_name": "European Destroying Angel", "latin_name": "Amanita virosa", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 58685, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Acidic woodland with birch, pine, and spruce in northern and central Europe", "safety_warning": "Potentially fatal. Contains amatoxins that survive cooking. Contact a poison center immediately after any possible ingestion.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/european-destroying-angel", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/european-destroying-angel.md" }, { "slug": "western-destroying-angel", "common_name": "Western Destroying Angel", "latin_name": "Amanita ocreata", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 67356, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Late winter to spring", "habitat": "With oaks, especially coast live oak, in California and neighboring states", "safety_warning": "Potentially fatal. Contains amatoxins. Contact a poison center immediately after any possible ingestion.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/western-destroying-angel", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/western-destroying-angel.md" }, { "slug": "smiths-amanita", "common_name": "Smith's Amanita", "latin_name": "Amanita smithiana", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 62485, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Autumn", "habitat": "Conifer and mixed forests of the Pacific Northwest", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Causes delayed kidney injury that can require dialysis. It is often mistaken for matsutake.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/smiths-amanita", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/smiths-amanita.md" }, { "slug": "false-death-cap", "common_name": "False Death Cap", "latin_name": "Amanita citrina", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 63271, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Broadleaf and conifer woods on acidic soil", "safety_warning": "Not a food mushroom. Its main danger is confusion with the death cap and other deadly Amanita.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/false-death-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/false-death-cap.md" }, { "slug": "sulphur-tuft", "common_name": "Sulphur Tuft", "latin_name": "Hypholoma fasciculare", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48767, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Year-round, most abundant in autumn", "habitat": "Stumps and dead wood of broadleaf and conifer trees", "safety_warning": "Poisonous; causes vomiting and diarrhea, and severe poisonings are reported. Do not confuse with honey mushrooms or woodtufts.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/sulphur-tuft", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/sulphur-tuft.md" }, { "slug": "fools-funnel", "common_name": "Fool's Funnel", "latin_name": "Collybia rivulosa", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 1525557, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Lawns, pastures, and grassland, often in rings", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Muscarine causes sweating, salivation, tears, and slowed heart rate. Seek medical care after ingestion.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/fools-funnel", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/fools-funnel.md" }, { "slug": "deadly-webcap", "common_name": "Deadly Webcap", "latin_name": "Cortinarius rubellus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 500053, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Wet, mossy conifer forests in northern Europe and North America", "safety_warning": "Potentially fatal. Kidney damage may not show for days to weeks after eating. Seek emergency care after any possible ingestion.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/deadly-webcap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/deadly-webcap.md" }, { "slug": "fools-webcap", "common_name": "Fool's Webcap", "latin_name": "Cortinarius orellanus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 337849, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Oak and beech woods in warm parts of Europe", "safety_warning": "Potentially fatal. Symptoms can be delayed by days to weeks. Seek emergency care after any possible ingestion.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/fools-webcap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/fools-webcap.md" }, { "slug": "brown-roll-rim", "common_name": "Brown Roll-rim", "latin_name": "Paxillus involutus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 55941, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Woods, heath, and parks, especially with birch", "safety_warning": "Poisonous and potentially fatal. Repeated meals can trigger an immune reaction that destroys red blood cells.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/brown-roll-rim", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/brown-roll-rim.md" }, { "slug": "devils-bolete", "common_name": "Devil's Bolete", "latin_name": "Rubroboletus satanas", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 544554, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer", "habitat": "Oak and beech woods on calcareous soil in Europe", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Causes severe vomiting and diarrhea. Avoid boletes with red or orange pores unless expertly identified.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/devils-bolete", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/devils-bolete.md" }, { "slug": "bitter-bolete", "common_name": "Bitter Bolete", "latin_name": "Tylopilus felleus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 63489, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Conifer and hardwood forests, often on acidic soil", "safety_warning": "Not toxic, but one specimen can make a whole dish inedible.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/bitter-bolete", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/bitter-bolete.md" }, { "slug": "the-sickener", "common_name": "The Sickener", "latin_name": "Russula emetica", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 49449, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Wet, mossy conifer woods, often with sphagnum", "safety_warning": "Poisonous raw. Causes vomiting and diarrhea.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/the-sickener", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/the-sickener.md" }, { "slug": "woolly-milk-cap", "common_name": "Woolly Milk Cap", "latin_name": "Lactarius torminosus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 351313, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "With birch", "safety_warning": "Poisonous raw. Traditional processing in some countries does not make it safe for casual use.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/woolly-milk-cap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/woolly-milk-cap.md" }, { "slug": "yellow-stainer", "common_name": "Yellow Stainer", "latin_name": "Agaricus xanthodermus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 118394, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Gardens, parks, hedgerows, and woodland edges", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. The most common cause of Agaricus poisoning. Always cut the stem base and smell the flesh.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/yellow-stainer", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/yellow-stainer.md" }, { "slug": "false-chanterelle", "common_name": "False Chanterelle", "latin_name": "Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 63538, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Autumn", "habitat": "Conifer litter and rotting wood", "safety_warning": "Not recommended; it can cause digestive upset. Its main danger is teaching the wrong chanterelle features.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/false-chanterelle", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/false-chanterelle.md" }, { "slug": "ghost-fungus", "common_name": "Ghost Fungus", "latin_name": "Omphalotus nidiformis", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 155166, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Southern autumn and winter", "habitat": "Dead and dying trees and stumps in southern Australia, including eucalypts and pines", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Contains illudin toxins that cause severe vomiting. Often mistaken for oyster mushrooms.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/ghost-fungus", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/ghost-fungus.md" }, { "slug": "stinking-dapperling", "common_name": "Stinking Dapperling", "latin_name": "Lepiota cristata", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 58694, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Disturbed ground, lawns, gardens, and woodland edges", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Several small Lepiota contain deadly amatoxins; treat every small Lepiota as potentially lethal.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/stinking-dapperling", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/stinking-dapperling.md" }, { "slug": "deadly-fibrecap", "common_name": "Deadly Fibrecap", "latin_name": "Inosperma erubescens", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 1112491, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Late spring to summer", "habitat": "Beech and other broadleaf woods, parks, and path edges, often on chalk", "safety_warning": "Potentially fatal. Contains high levels of muscarine. Often confused with St George's mushroom.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/deadly-fibrecap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/deadly-fibrecap.md" }, { "slug": "ringed-conecap", "common_name": "Ringed Conecap", "latin_name": "Pholiotina rugosa", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 877494, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Spring to autumn", "habitat": "Lawns, wood chips, mulch, and gardens", "safety_warning": "Potentially fatal to people and pets. Contains amatoxins. Contact a poison center immediately after any ingestion.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/ringed-conecap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/ringed-conecap.md" }, { "slug": "livid-pinkgill", "common_name": "Livid Pinkgill", "latin_name": "Entoloma sinuatum", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 510199, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Broadleaf woods, often on clay or chalk", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Causes severe, prolonged vomiting and diarrhea and has caused hospitalizations.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/livid-pinkgill", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/livid-pinkgill.md" }, { "slug": "man-on-horseback", "common_name": "Man on Horseback", "latin_name": "Tricholoma equestre", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 118215, "difficulty": "expert-only", "season_text": "Autumn", "habitat": "Sandy pine forests", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Repeated meals have caused rhabdomyolysis and deaths in France and Poland.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/man-on-horseback", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/man-on-horseback.md" }, { "slug": "early-false-morel", "common_name": "Early False Morel", "latin_name": "Verpa bohemica", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 126131, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Early spring, before most true morels", "habitat": "With cottonwood, aspen, and poplar along streams", "safety_warning": "Not recommended. It has caused gastrointestinal upset and loss of coordination, especially after large or repeated meals.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/early-false-morel", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/early-false-morel.md" }, { "slug": "white-saddle", "common_name": "White Saddle", "latin_name": "Helvella crispa", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 49208, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Woodland paths and broadleaf woods", "safety_warning": "Toxic raw and not recommended even cooked. Related species contain gyromitrin-like compounds.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/white-saddle", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/white-saddle.md" }, { "slug": "angel-wings", "common_name": "Angel Wings", "latin_name": "Pleurocybella porrigens", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48509, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Rotting conifer logs, especially hemlock", "safety_warning": "Poisonous. Linked to fatal acute encephalopathy, especially in people with kidney disease.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/angel-wings", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/angel-wings.md" }, { "slug": "artists-conk", "common_name": "Artist's Conk", "latin_name": "Ganoderma applanatum", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48473, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Year-round; perennial", "habitat": "Dead and living hardwoods, occasionally conifers", "safety_warning": "Woody and not a food mushroom.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/artists-conk", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/artists-conk.md" }, { "slug": "birch-polypore", "common_name": "Birch Polypore", "latin_name": "Fomitopsis betulina", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 775410, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn; old brackets persist", "habitat": "Dead and dying birch", "safety_warning": "Tough and bitter; not a food mushroom.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/birch-polypore", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/birch-polypore.md" }, { "slug": "tinder-fungus", "common_name": "Tinder Fungus", "latin_name": "Fomes fomentarius", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 127510, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Year-round; perennial", "habitat": "Birch, beech, and other hardwoods", "safety_warning": "Woody and not a food mushroom.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/tinder-fungus", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/tinder-fungus.md" }, { "slug": "scarlet-elf-cup", "common_name": "Scarlet Elf Cup", "latin_name": "Sarcoscypha coccinea", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 49134, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Winter to early spring", "habitat": "Fallen hardwood sticks, often buried in moss or leaf litter", "safety_warning": "Not treated as food here; collect for study only.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/scarlet-elf-cup", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/scarlet-elf-cup.md" }, { "slug": "orange-peel-fungus", "common_name": "Orange Peel Fungus", "latin_name": "Aleuria aurantia", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48716, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Bare or disturbed soil, paths, and roadsides", "safety_warning": "Small and fragile. Confirm it is on soil, not wood, and does not stain blue-green.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/orange-peel-fungus", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/orange-peel-fungus.md" }, { "slug": "common-stinkhorn", "common_name": "Common Stinkhorn", "latin_name": "Phallus impudicus", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 54594, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Summer to autumn", "habitat": "Woodland and gardens with buried wood", "safety_warning": "Its egg stage can resemble a deadly Amanita egg. Cut any egg-like mushroom vertically.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/common-stinkhorn", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/common-stinkhorn.md" }, { "slug": "collared-earthstar", "common_name": "Collared Earthstar", "latin_name": "Geastrum triplex", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 63076, "difficulty": "beginner-friendly group", "season_text": "Late summer to autumn", "habitat": "Leaf litter in broadleaf and conifer woods", "safety_warning": "Not a food mushroom.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/collared-earthstar", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/collared-earthstar.md" }, { "slug": "scarlet-waxcap", "common_name": "Scarlet Waxcap", "latin_name": "Hygrocybe coccinea", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 55245, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Autumn", "habitat": "Old grasslands, lawns, and pastures that have not been fertilized", "safety_warning": "Leave it. Waxcap grasslands are declining and protected in some regions.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/scarlet-waxcap", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/scarlet-waxcap.md" }, { "slug": "witches-butter", "common_name": "Witches' Butter", "latin_name": "Tremella mesenterica", "inaturalist_taxon_id": 48529, "difficulty": "intermediate", "season_text": "Year-round in wet weather, especially winter", "habitat": "Dead hardwood branches, often still attached to the tree", "safety_warning": "Bland and gelatinous. Confirm a hardwood host.", "lookalike_count": 3, "last_reviewed": "2026-09-27", "review_status": "Expert review pending", "page_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/witches-butter", "markdown_url": "https://worldmushroomforaging.org/learn/species/witches-butter.md" } ] }