Tricholomataceae     Family

This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills. The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

Fruiting body containing fibers (usually in the stalk)

Spore print "light-colored": white or buff, sometimes tinged with pink or tan. Greenish and (except for the Russulales) yellow spore prints also go here
Stalk fibrous, not fracturing like a piece of chalk

Diagnosis

• None of the special features distinguishing the other white-spored genera:
  
• Gills not free, as in the Lepiotas and Amanitas
  
• Basidia not extra-long, as in the Hygrophoraceae
  
• Spores smooth, except for Lentinellus

Narrow down your identification:

• Cap less than an inch across
  
• Growing on other fungi, usually on their blackened and squishy remains

• Growing on trees or dead wood, leaves, or sticks, or organic debris, often in moss

• Growing on the ground

Glossary

Mushrooms

People

Newsletter

Events