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 Hydnellum scabrosum (Bitter Hedgehog). It grows in Europe, North America and Asia (Japan).
Dimensions: Cap 3-10 cm diameter, stem 4-10 cm tall * 1-2.5 cm thick
Description:
Hydnellum scabrosum, also known as Bitter Hedgehog, is a medium to large mushroom that stands out for its unique rugged appearance and distinctive bitter taste. This species belongs to the tooth fungus group, characterized by the presence of spines or "teeth" under the cap instead of the typical gills. The Bitter Hedgehog typically grows in coniferous forests, often forming symbiotic relationships with trees.
Cap convex to flattened, covered with darker brown overlapping scales. It can be tinged with pink at the margins and darken with age. Spines 4 to 10 mm long and 0.3 mm in diameter, decurrent, light grey, turning purple-brown with age. Stem upper part is white, gradually transitioning to blue-grey towards the base. The stem flesh is white in the upper section, turning blue-grey closer to the base. Spore print brown.
Microscopic Features: The spores measure 5-7.5 µm and are irregularly globose to subglobose in shape, with a nodulose surface.
Synonyms: The mushroom was previously named Sarcodon scabrosus.
Sarcodon scabrosus on the www.first-nature.com web site.
Sarcodon scabrosus on the MushroomExpert.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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