False Honey Mushroom

§ Quick facts

§ Encyclopedia

A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. A toadstool generally refers to a poisonous mushroom.

Source: Wikipedia — Mushroom · Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0

§ Identification

Field marks. Small to medium tan-to-brown mushroom; brown gills; brown spore print; growing in clusters on dead wood (often the same habitat as edible honey mushrooms).

Similar species. Edible Honey Mushrooms (Armillaria spp. — white spore print, white gills, larger). Deadly Webcap (Cortinarius rubellus — different gill attachment).

Voice. N/A

§ Diet & behavior

Diet. Saprotrophic — decomposes wood and organic matter.

Behavior. DEADLY POISONOUS. Galerina marginata (the most dangerous "false honey mushroom") contains the same amatoxins as Death Cap and Destroying Angel Amanita species. Several deaths each year in North America from foragers misidentifying Galerina as edible Armillaria honey mushrooms. Key distinguishing feature: GALERINA has a RUSTY-BROWN spore print (and rusty-brown gills at maturity), while Armillaria has a WHITE spore print and white gills. ALWAYS take a spore print before consuming any mushroom believed to be a honey mushroom.

§ Range

Across North America

§ Habitat

Diverse habitats

§ Threats

Forest loss.

§ Conservation status

According to the IUCN Red List, the false honey mushroom is currently classified as Least Concern.

§ What helps

Support diverse forests.

§ Further reading

• Wikipedia — Mushroom
• www.nwf.org — authoritative profile of Armillaria mellea (cousins)
• iNaturalist · taxon 117800
• IUCN Red List — search for Armillaria mellea (cousins)
• GBIF occurrence records
• Encyclopedia of Life — Armillaria mellea (cousins)

§ Sources cited

• North American Mycological Association toxicity profile
• American Association of Poison Control Centers
• CDC mushroom poisoning reports