Welcome to Mushroom World
Step into the enchanting world of fungi with Mushroom World – your trusted companion for learning about mushrooms. Whether you're a curious beginner or a seasoned nature enthusiast, our site provides clear, accessible information and beautiful images to help you better understand and appreciate the mushrooms you encounter.
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.
With thousands of mushroom species known to science, we've chosen to focus on the most common and easily recognisable ones. Each entry includes helpful descriptions, identification tips, and high-quality images, and we’re always working to expand our collection with new species and updated content.
Come 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.
What you can do on Mushroom World
Browse the database
Explore mushrooms from the alphabetical list or search by name or properties.
Identify a mushroom
Know some characteristics but not the name? Use our mushroom identification helper to narrow it down.
New to identification? Start with identification basics.
Test your knowledge
Try our identification quiz and see how many mushrooms you recognise. Each run gives you new questions.
Upload your photos
Have good mushroom photos to share? Use the upload form and we will see if we can include them on the site.
Today's Mushroom
A quick highlight from our database
Today's mushroom is Leccinum aurantiacum (Orange Oak Bolete). It grows in Europe.
Dimensions: Cap 5-10 cm diameter, stem 8-14 cm tall * 1.5-4.5 cm thick
Description:
Leccinum aurantiacum, also known as Orange Oak Bolete, is a large or massive bolete with a bun-shaped reddish-orange fleshy cap, whitish pores, and a scaly stem. When cut the flesh turns pink and then black. It typically grows solitary or in small scattered groups on soil, specifically under aspen trees.
Cap bright orange skin, at first round like a ball, then ovate or bun-shaped. It is sticky when damp and has, just like Leccinum versipelle, a larger skin that hangs down or is tucked under the margin of the cap. Flesh creamy-white then vinaceous or sepia were cut. Thick and firm. Pores white or cream, darkening vinaceous where bruised, circular. very small. Stem dirty white, covered with woolly scales in an irregular network, at first white then rust, stoutish, more or less equal or swollen towards the base. The stem has no ring. Spore print ochraceous-buff.
Microscopic Features: The spores are narrowly ellipsoidal to fusiform, measuring approximately 12.5-18.5 x 3.5-6µm.
Note: Leccinum aurantiacum recorded in North America may not be the same species as its European namesake.
Leccinum aurantiacum on the www.first-nature.com web site.
If you are interested in this mushroom, look it up in our database for more detailed photographs and additional information.
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.
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