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 Lichenomphalia umbellifera (Lichen Agaric). It grows in Europe, North America.
Dimensions: Cap 2-3 cm diameter; stem 1-3 cm tall * 0.1-0.3 cm diameter
Description:
Lichenomphalia umbellifera, commonly known as the Lichen Agaric, is a small mushroom distinguished by its pale, umbrella-shaped cap and slender stem, which arise from a greenish, granular thallus formed in symbiosis with algae. It typically occurs on soil, moss, or decaying organic matter in heathlands, moorlands, woodland clearings, and other nutrient-poor habitats, often forming scattered groups or small clusters. This species can be found from spring through autumn and is widespread in temperate regions.
Cap small, planoconvex to shallowly convex, sometimes with a wavy margin. Surface lubricous, bald, and dull yellowish to brownish, often lined at the margin. Flesh thin, whitish, and unchanging when cut. Gills distant, thick, and waxy, running down the stem. Whitish to pale yellowish in colour, with short gills present near the margin. Stem slender, equal in width, moist, and bald or nearly so, with a fuzzy base. Pale brownish to pale yellowish in colour. Spore print white.
Microscopic Features: Spores measuring 7–10 × 5–7 µm, ellipsoid to broadly tear-shaped, smooth, and hyaline in KOH.
Lichenomphalia umbellifera 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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