Common genera of large fungi. Appendix 7
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References following families and genera refer to some relevant pages in reference books:
Arora (Ar), Barron (Ba), Bossenmaier (Bo), Hanlin (H, where x-y refers to volume and page number), Lincoff - Audubon (A), Lincoff ‑ Simon and Schuster (L), McKnight & McKnight (Mc) Miller (M), Phillips (P), Schalkwijk-Barendsen (S)
1A “Mushrooms” – fleshy and not perennial, with gills, on many substrates 2
1B “Mushrooms” – fleshy and not perennial, with pores, on many substrates 54
1C “Mushrooms” – typically fleshy and not perennial, with teeth, on many substrates 62
1D “Mushrooms” – fleshy and funnel shaped, smooth or with ridges, the chantarelles 71
1E Bracket fungi – woody and persistent, on trees and dead wood 85
1F Puffballs, earth stars, bird's nest fungi – on soil, leaves or detritus, often tough 101
1G Ascomycetes – fleshy and typically delicate 128
1H Coral fungi –branched or clubbed, often tough 147
1I Jelly fungi –moist and gelatinous, becoming dry and tough, on wood 154
1J Stinkhorns –soft club-shaped, and smelly, on soil 159
1K Club shaped fungi – stinkhorns, dead mens’ fingers, earth tongues, etc. 165
1L Crust fungi – dry, smooth or with pores or teeth, on wood 166
1M Subterranean fungi 175
1N Slime molds 177
2 (1A) Gilled mushrooms – the Agaricales – these include classic "mushrooms" that have a cap and a stem, with the spores produced on thin "leaves" called gills, on the underside (exception, Schizophyllum) of the cap. Some agarics, particularly those growing on wood, have an eccentric stalk, or no stalk and the cap appears to grow directly from the substrate. See the pictorial glossary for major variations in shape and the terms glossary for descriptive words. Spore colour is important for the Agaricales, and is not always related to gill colour – some coloured gills have white spores and vice versa – make a spore print!
2a (1A) White or light coloured spores 3
2b (1A) Pink spores 7
2c (1A) Dark coloured spores (cinnamon, purple-brown, yellow-brown, grey, nearly black) 8
3 (2a) Gilled mushrooms with white or light-coloured spores
3a (2a) Often on ground, but many substrates 4
3b (2a) Often on wood, but identify by elimination Tricholomataceae, 12
A731-810; Ar129-237; L54-68; M87-158; Mc133; S64-91, 239
4a (3a) Gills free from stalk 5
4b (3a) Gills attached to stalk 6
5a (4a) Volva (cup) present at base of stem, which may be fragile and also be left as warts on the cap; ring present or absent Amanitaceae, 34
A525-55; Ar263-92; M25-39; S53-7, 226
5b (4a) No volva of any kind, but base of stem may be bulbous; may have scales on cap, but never warts; ring usually present and often breaking loose Lepiotaceae, 35
A509-23; Ar293-310; M40-46; S51-2, 222
6a (4b) Gills thick and fleshy, waxy when rubbed; cap often brightly coloured; always on ground; ring usually absent Hygrophoraceae, 36
A654-668; Ar103-29; M47‑56; S58-63, 231
6b (4b) On ground, usually near but not on wood; gills free or attached; cap often colourful and peels easily; sturdy, brittle stipe Russulaceae, 37
A679-707; Ar63-103; M62-86; S38-49, 207
6c (4b) Many habitats but often on wood; latex absent Tricholomataceae, 12
A731-810; Ar129-237; L54-68; M87-158; Mc133; S64-91, 239
7 (2b) Gilled mushrooms with pink spores A641-79; Ar238-62; M158-64;
7a (2b) Gills free from stem; usually on wood; volva present or absent Volvariaceae, 38
Pluteaceae: Ar253-62; S103-5, 285
7b (2b) Gills attached to stem; usually on ground; volva absent Rhodophyllaceae, 39
Entolomataceae: Ar238-53; S107, 288
8 (2c) Gilled mushrooms with dark coloured spores (cinnamon, purple‑brown, yellow-brown, smoky grey, nearly black)
8a (2c) Gills free; cap easily separable from stem Agaricaceae, 40
A500-9; Ar310-41; M189-94; S137-42, 325
8b (2c) On ground, usually near but not on wood; gills free or attached; cap often colourful and peels easily; sturdy, brittle stipe Russulaceae, 37
A679-707; Ar63-103; M62-86; S38-49, 207
8c (2c) Gills attached 9
9a (8c) Gills notably extending down stem (decurrent), or no stem 10
9b (8c) Gills attached broadly (adnate) or narrowly (adnexed) 11
10a (9a) Sessile on wood, or with stout stem and decurrent gills on wood or ground; gills forked, especially near base Paxillaceae, 41
A668-673; Ar476-80; Ar481-7; M195-8, key M195 includes Phylloporus, which is easily mistaken for Paxillus except that its flesh bruises blue.
10b (9a) Gills decurrent, thick, fleshy, not turning inky; always on ground and often near conifers; never on dung Gomphidiaceae, 42
A650-4; Ar481-7; M164-9;
11a (9b) Caps typically conic to bell shaped; often turning inky but when young, cap is never slimy; saprotrophs, they are often found growing on dung or manured grass or wood Coprinaceae, 43
A596-609; Ar341-66; M170-7; S143-51, 331
11b (9b) Similar to Coprinaceae, but never turning inky; fragile mushrooms that typically grow in grass with long thin stipes Bolbitiaceae, 44
A556-61; Ar466-75; M198-201; S124-7, 312
11c (9b) With a fibrous partial veil that often leaves a cobwebby ring on the stipe; never on dung; typically saprophytic on wood, humus or soil, or mycorrhizal Cortinariaceae, 47
A556-8, 611-23, 712-8; Ar396-466; M202-225; S109-23, 291
11d (9b) Sturdy fruiting bodies with a convex viscous cap; persistent annulus that is never cobwebby; usually on grass, mulch or dung Strophariaceae, 53
A708-25; Ar367-96; M180-9; S129-36, 316
12 (3b) Tricholomataceae Any white-spored fungus that grows on wood is a member of this family, but in addition they are also found in diverse habitats and can be saprotrophic or mycorrhizal. A731-810; Ar129-237; L54-68; M87-158; Mc133; S64-91, 239
12a (3b) Only on wood, stem central, eccentric, or lacking 13
12b (3b) On ground, needles, humus, dung, but rare on wood; stem usually central 22
13a (12a) Stem central or nearly so 14
13b (12a) Stem eccentric, very short, or absent 19
14a (13a) Flesh easily broken 15
14b (13a) Flesh tough and pliant, difficult to break 18
15a (14a) In cespitose clusters, close together but not joined above ground; stalk with a ring Armillaria mellea and Cystoderma
A. mellea: A736; Ar196; Ba246; Bo 34; ,L85; M106; Mc136; P37; S79, 256; Cystoderma: A510; Ar198; Bo38, 40; L18; M113; Mc152; P152; S91, 271
15b (14a) Solitary or cespitose, stem without a ring 16
16a (15b) Cespitose, stalk without a ring Armillaria tabescens
A737; Ar197; M108; Mc137; P37; S79, 256
16b (15b) Single 17
17a (16b) Cap 4-20 mm wide, gills short or extending down stalk (decurrent) Omphalina
A760, 787, 796, 810; Ar161-6, 221-3; Ba297; M123; Mc177; P77; S90, 268-9
17b (16b) Cap 2-20 cm wide, gills broadly attached (adnate) to notched (adnexed) Tricholomopsis
A807-9; Ar144-6; Ba302; Bo52; L72; M89; Mc194; P46; S64-9, 240
18a (14b) Gill edges serrate (sawtooth) Lentinus
A764; Ar141-3; Ba294; M91; Mc159; P208; S102, 284
18b (14b) Gill edges smooth Xeromphalina
A809; Ar221-3; Ba267; Bo52; M93; Mc195; P78; S93, 274
18c (14b) Gill edges smooth; cap covered with stiff hairs Crinipellis
A758; Ba266; L758; P63
19a (13b) Gill edges serrate or hairy 20
19b (13b) Gill edges smooth 21
20a (19a) Stem always absent; gills facing upwards, and split down middle Schizophyllum
A92-3; Ar590; Ba295; Bo74; L292; M94; Mc80; P210; S169, 364
20b (19a) Stem absent or eccentric; sawtooth gill edges Lentinellus
A764-5; Ar141-4; Ba293-4; L117 M96; Mc158; P208
21a (19b) Cap flesh-coloured to brick red with reticulate ridges Rhodotus
A795; Ar130; Ba190; Bo48; L166; M98; Mc183; S99, 280
21b (19b) Cap smooth; stem short or absent; flesh soft or tough Pleurotus
(AlsoPanus, Panellus, Phyllotopsis, Pleurocybella) A 493, 744, 761, 790-8, 809; Ar132-7; L111-4; Ba290-2; Bo48, 55, 93; M98‑105; Mc181; P206; S99-102, 281-3
22a (12b) Stem with a ring 23
22b (12b) Stem lacking a ring 24
23a (22a) Ring always single; veil and cap appearing mealy or powdery Cystoderma
A510-512, 523; Ar198-200; Bo40; L18-9; M113-5; Mc152; P35; S91, 271
23b (22a) Ring single or double; veil and cap not appearing mealy Armillaria and Catathelasma
A731-7; M106-13; Armillaria Ar189-94; Ba246; Bo34; Mc133-7; P37-9; S79, 256; Catathelasma Ar189, 195; Ba246; L52; Mc137; P56
24a (22b) Fruiting body revives in water; stem 1-4 mm wide and pliant 25
24b (22b) Fruiting body does not revive in water –or– stem usually more than 4mm wide or fleshy or brittle 27
25a (24a) Cap covered with long stiff hairs Crinipellis
A758; Ar202, 210; Ba266; M115; P63
25b (24a) Cap smooth or felty 26
26a (25b) Cap surface composed of round cells; small delicate mushrooms often in troops; stem yellow brown to black Marasmius
A770-8; Ar201-14; Ba262-6; Bo44; L28-33, 35-6; M115-9; Mc165-8; P74; S77, 254
26b (25b) Cap cuticle composed of hyphae; small delicate mushrooms often in troops; spores turn blue in iodine Xeromphalina
A809; Ar221-3; Ba267; Bo52; M93-5; Mc195; P208; S93, 274
27a (24b) Parasitic/saprotrophic on decaying mushrooms Asterophora
A738; Ar200-1; Ba260; L50; M120; P78;
27b (24b) Not parasitic/saprotrophic on decaying mushrooms 28
28a (27b) Gills adnexed to decurrent (may be subtle) Clitocybe/Omphalina/Omphalotus
Clitocybe A744-51; Ar148-64; Ba253; Bo34, 46; L73, 78-84, P51; S70-5, 245 Omphalina A706, 787, 796, 810; Ar166, 221-3; Ba267; P77; S90, 268-9; Omphalotus A787-8; Ar146‑8; Ba295; L86; M120-129; Mc178
28b (27b) Gills adnate to adnexed but never decurrent 29
29a (28b) Cap margin inrolled at first; stem brittle, sometimes stuffed; does not revive; in humus, on leaves or rotten wood; often in fairy rings Collybia, Flammulina/Baeospora
Collybia A752-8; Ar146, 201-220; Ba257-9; Bo38, 38; L41-5; Mc147-51; P60; S76, 251; Flammulina A759, Ar202, 220; Ba289; Bo40; L46; Mc150; S89, 266; Baeospora A738-9; Ar202, 212; Ba260; M129-36; P77; S93, 274
29b (28b) Cap margin straight or, if inrolled then stem is fleshy 30
30a (29b) Relatively small and fragile; stem brittle and 1-4mm wide, equal, lacking a ring; gills broadly attached to notched, seldom decurrent; gills may be coloured, but spore print white Mycena
A778-86; Ar224-37; Ba282-8; Bo46-8; L90-6; M137-42; Mc170-7; L90-6; P79; S95-7, 275
30b (29b) Stem thicker and fleshy to pliant 31
31a (30b) Gills fleshy; gills or cap pink or violet Laccaria, or Mycena pura
A762-3, 784; M141-6; Laccaria Ar171-3; Ba278-9; Bo40; L75; P57-60; S 98, 279; Mycena pura Ar230; Bo48; L94; P80
31b (30b) Gills not fleshy, and usually no part pink or violet 32
32a (31b) Gills bruising black, stem appears water-soaked Lyophyllum
A768-9; Ar166, 171-6; Ba281; Bo44; L53; M146-8; Mc163; P48; S85, 262
32b (31b) Gills not bruising black 33
33a (32b) Cap 6-45 cm broad and edge may be fluted; surface of gills and stem chalky white Leucopaxillus
A748, 767-8; Ar159, 166-8; Bo36, 42; L87; M 145-51; Mc161-3; P60; S83, 259
33b (32b) Stem long and thin for size of cap; cap convex and knobbed; gills notched Melanoleuca
A776-7; Ar169-71; Ba281; Bo46; L48; M152; Mc169; P50; S84, 260
33c (32b) Stem thick, fleshy, robust; cap convex and sometimes with a depressed centre; gills broadly attached or notched Tricholoma
A667, 733-5, 740, 750, 778, 799-808; Ar176-82; Ba298-301; Bo50, 52, 69; L54-68; M152-7; Mc185-93; P40-5; S64‑9, 240
34 (5a) Amanitaceae Many in this family are poisonous, often deadly, so should be avoided as potential menu items. Common features in the field include 1) white spores, 2) development from an "egg" which when cut open has stem, cap and gills (unlike young puffballs), 3) a universal veil which either splits creating the cup (volva) at the base of the stem and may also leave warts on the cap, 4) a partial veil that leaves a ring (annulus) on the stem. Two genera.
34a (5a) Volva and/or universal veil slimy and glutinous Limacella
A554; Ar262, 291-2; Ba243; Bo4; L17; Mc213; P37; S57, 230
34b (5a) Volva and/or universal veil fibrous or filmy or hairy Amanita
A525-55; Ar262-90; Ba235-41; Bo2, 4; L1-16; M25-39; Mc215-39; P14-29; S53-7, 227
35 (5b) Lepiotaceae This group is relatively closely related to Amanitaceae since both groups have free gills and white spores (Chlorophyllum has green spores), but the Lepiotaceae do not have a volva even if their stem is bulbous. The cap surface is often scaly, but these are not due to remnants of the partial veil, which often forms a ring. This ring can become entirely free and slide along the stem. Many Lepiota species fruit in grass, often in fairy rings, while others appear to be mycorrhizal with conifers
35a (5b) Spore print and mature gills green, in grass Chlorophyllum
A509; Ar293-5; L21; M41; Mc240; P33
35b (5b) Spore print and mature gills white, various habitats Lepiota
A513-23; Ar293-309; Ba242-4; Bo22; L25-7; M40-6; Mc241; P30-4; S51, 223
36 (6a) Hygrophoraceae This is a typically brightly coloured group (nevertheless, the spores are white) that always grows in the ground or on duff, and not on logs or other wood, or on dung, or parasitically. When the gills are rubbed together very hard they feel waxy, and leave a waxy layer on the fingers. They do not produce latex. There is one genus, Hygrophorus.
A 654-68; Ar103-29; Ba272-7; Bo18, 20; L97-104; M47‑56; Mc202-13; P63-73; S58-9, 231
37 (6b) Russulaceae There are two genera in this family, both with brittle caps whose often brightly coloured cuticle peels off easily, and brittle stems that never have a ring. Both genera have white, pale brown, or yellow spores that turn blue in iodine. All species in this family grow on soil, and are typically thought to be mycorrhizal. A679-707; Ar63-103; M 62-86;
37a (6b) Produces a milky latex when cut Lactarius
A679-97; Ar63-82; Ba304-10; Bo26-30; L118-33; M62-78; Mc326-40; P84-107; S44-9, 215
37b (6b) Does not produce latex when cut Russula
A697-707; Ar83-102; Ba311-4; Bo30-2; L134-50; M79-86; Mc317-26; P109-33; S38-43, 208
38 (7a) Volvariaceae One of two pink-spored families of gilled fungi. The most conspicuous characteristic of Volvariaceae is the free gills. There are two genera both of which are common (but not exclusive) on wood
38a (7a) Volva present at base of stem, on wood or other substrates Volvariella
A677-679; Ar258-62; L158-9; M158-9; Mc252; S105, 287
38b (7a) Volva absent, always on wood Pluteus
A673-6; Ar253-8; Ba186-8; Bo14, 24; L160-1; M158-60; Mc248-52; P138-9; S103-5, 285
39 (7b) Rhodophyllaceae The most conspicuous feature of this pink-spored family is the attached gills. Species of this family that have central stalks are always on ground and never on wood.
39a (7b) Gills long and decurrent Clitopilus
A641-2, 649; Ar239-41; Ba189; L162; M161; P134; S288
39b (7b) Gills short and decurrent or notched, often with a conic cap or a knob on a convex cap Entoloma
A641-8; Ar242-50; Ba183-9; Bo16; L163-5; M161-4; Mc310-2; P135-7; S107, 289
40 (8a) Agaricaceae Aroira and Miller recognize one genus, Agaricus, but Lincoff (Audubon guide) includes additional genera including Lepiota. Agaricus contains a large number of edible species mushrooms form which the commercial A. bisporus was bred. Typically Agaricus are edible and choice, with the exception of A. xanthodermus and allies, which are poisonous. A. xanthodermus bruises yellow, and all Agaricus species that bruise yellowish should be avoided. The other caution is to ensure the spores are dark, since the fruiting bodies can superficially resemble Amanita.