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Cream ghost fungus caps clustered at the base of a tree
Poisonousintermediate

Ghost Fungus

Omphalotus nidiformis

A creamy, fan-shaped Australian mushroom that glows green in the dark and causes vomiting when eaten.

Photo: Samuel Frankel, CC BY
Compiled by Mushroom Forage Map field deskExpert review pendingContent checked
Toxicity warning

Poisonous. Contains illudin toxins that cause severe vomiting. Often mistaken for oyster mushrooms.

Season
Southern autumn and winter
Habitat
Dead and dying trees and stumps in southern Australia, including eucalypts and pines
Underside
Decurrent cream gills
Spore evidence
White

Where it grows

Tracked records and known growing zone

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Squares: where people recorded it, brighter where more people did
Verified records
7,172
People who recorded it
2,936
Most records (southern hemisphere)
Apr–Jun
Records span
1974–2026

Research-grade iNaturalist records, snapshot Aug 27, 2026. The growing zone combines areas where different people have repeatedly verified it. Records show where people looked and found it, not current abundance or permission to gather.

Observation season

When field records occur

Choose a hemisphere · All recorded years; not a current forecast.

Choose the hemisphere you want to study. Country detection is approximate and some countries span the equator.

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Lookalikes to rule out

Oysters lack the glow and the dark central tones of ghost fungus.

Angel wings are thin, pure white, and grow on conifer wood.

Other Omphalotus

toxic

Jack-o'-lanterns elsewhere belong to the same poisonous genus.

Identification

The caps are fan- or funnel-shaped and creamy white, often with brown, orange, or purple tints near the center. Gills run down the short stem. Clusters grow on wood. In darkness, the gills glow green.

Why it matters

Ghost fungus contains illudin S, which causes severe vomiting within an hour or two of eating. People have been poisoned after confusing it with edible oyster mushrooms.

Memorable fact

Its glow is bright enough to see with dark-adapted eyes, and night walks are organized to find it.

Sources

Never eat a mushroom from this page alone

Confirm identity using the whole specimen, multiple reputable sources, and a qualified local expert. Identified edible species still require appropriate preparation. Cooking does not make a poisonous mushroom safe.

Safety and poison response
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