Welcome to Mushroom World
Step into the fascinating world of mushrooms with Mushroom World – your go-to resource for fungi information. Our site offers clear information and beautiful images of mushrooms.
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.
Since there are thousands of known species of mushrooms, we have limited our database to the most common ones. New species are also continuously added to the site.
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 Cantharellula umbonata (Grayling). It grows in Europe.
Dimensions: cap 2-3 cm dia; stem 2.5-12.5 cm tall * 0.3-0.7 cm dia.
Description:
Cantharellula umbonata, also known as grayling, is a small to medium-sized, funnel-shaped agaric with a grey cap and forked gills, which grow associated with Polytrichum moss and fruit in the summer and fall.
Cap starts as convex but eventually becomes flat to sunken, often with a small, pointed umbo. The margin is initially incurved but becomes upturned and wavy as it ages. The colour is generally grey to greyish brown and may appear to have whitish blotches. The surface ranges from dry to moist and can be smooth or minutely hairy. The flesh is white and lacks a distinctive odour. Gills close to crowded, decurrent, repeatedly and regularly forked, whitish, developing spot-like reddish or sometimes yellow stains in age. Stem often with swollen portions, somewhat flexible, often bent, curved, and/or twisted. The colour is white to grey, silky above, stuffed, usually with whitish mycelium binding the lower stalk to mass. It's often water-saturated near the base. Spore print white.
Microscopic Features: The spores are elliptical or elongated in shape, measuring approximately 6-10 x 3-5 µm. They are smooth or finely textured.
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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