A to Z of British Fungi

<NO VALUE> A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P R S T U V X
Scientific Name Common Name Description
Abortiporus biennis Blushing Rosette

A white to grey irregularly shaped cap often found fused with other caps at the foot of deciduous and coniferous trees.
Agaricus arvensis Horse Mushroom

Large to massive agaric often found growing in rings or trooping groups on grassy soil within pastureland. Cap: At first ovate maturing to convex and expanding, white or cream yellowing slightly...

Agaricus augustus The Prince Tall sometimes massive agaric. An excellent edible*
Agaricus bitorquis Spring Agaric

A medium to large Agaric often found in trooping groups on sandy soil, favouring manured sites.
Agaricus bohusii Agaricus bohusii

A rare fungus in the U.K. with a large, scaly cap, usually growing solitary in woodland or pastures, favouring Ash.
Agaricus campestris Field Mushroom

The Field Mushroom, Agaricus campestris, is the most commonly eaten wild mushroom in the British Isles. Meadows grazed by sheep, cattle or horses often produce vast quantities.
Agaricus langei Scaly Wood Mushroom

The surface of the cap is covered by fibrous, rust brown scales, which is a distinctive feature of this fungi.  When cut, the flesh bruises red, especially in the stem.
Agaricus macrosporus Agaricus macrosporus

A medium to large fungus that is edible and tasty found, usually growing in groups or rings in meadows and pastureland.
Agaricus moelleri Inky Mushroom A carbolic smelling Agaric that grows in both broadleaf woodland and coniferous woodland. Closely related to Agaricus xanthodermus, this mushroom turns bright yellow upon bruising or breaking the...
Agaricus silvaticus Blushing Wood Mushroom

Found in small troops on both broadleaf and conifer woods, this edible fungus can be found from Summer till Autumn.
Agaricus silvaticus Blushing Wood Mushroom

A. silvaticus is one of a  group of mushrooms that stain red when bruised or cut, grow in woodland and are often difficult to tell apart.
Agaricus silvicola Wood Mushroom With a noticeable aniseed smell and a smooth cap that slowly colours ochre when bruised, Agaricus silvicola is quite easily distinguished from the other large mushrooms in the family Agaricaceae.
Agaricus silvicola Agaricus silvicola
Agaricus subfloccosus Agaricus subfloccosus Found in mixed woodland. Red staining on cutting floccose cap ring peelable downwards spores 7.5 x 4.5 .
Agaricus urinascens Macro Mushroom

A large, often massive mushroom found in soil among grass from early Summer until early Autumn.
Agaricus xanthoderma var lepiotoides Agaricus xanthoderma var lepiotoides
Agaricus xanthodermus Yellow Stainer Agaricus xanthodermus, the Yellow Staining Mushroom, can cause serious stomach upsets and so should not be eaten. It can be confused with other members of the Agaricaceae.
Agrocybe cylindracea Poplar Fieldcap

Typically in clusters with willow, this fungus is uncommon in the U.K. and is found mainly in the south.
Agrocybe erebia Dark Fieldcap

This inedible fungus has a ring on the stem and a consistently brown cap. A few other species of Agrocybe can be...

Agrocybe praecox Spring Fieldcap

Agricybe praecox is a variable species that is commonly found in grassland and is difficult to distinguish from others of the same genus.  The cap can reach up to 7cm in diameter and can...

Agrocybe rivulosa Agrocybe rivulosa

Added to the British list in 2004 and has since been found growing all over the country on piles of woodchips, often in large numbers.
Albugo candida Albugo candida

A white blister-rust parasitic on a wide range of hosts in the family Brassicaceae; shown here on Shepherd's Purse (Capsella) and Hoary Mustard (Hirschfeldia incana).
Aleuria aurantia Orange Peel Fungus An unmistakable orange cup or irregular disc which as the common name suggests looks like discarded orange peel.
Allopsalliota geesterani Allopsalliota geesterani

Monotypic genus with affinities to Agaricus; fruitbody very fleshy, subhypogeous, staining strongly yellow and then purple to almost black.
Amanita ceciliae Snakeskin Grisette

This is a distinctive, often tall species that has a grey-brown cap that is covered in fleecy grey patches that are seperable. The cap edge is often paler than the centre and is noticeably...

Amanita citrina False Death Cap Amanita citrina, often referred to as the False Death Cap, is an edible fungus; however, care is necessary because it is easily confused with deadly poisonous Amanita species.
Amanita crocea Orange Grisette

This lovely fungus is distinguished by a thick, white volva, faint zig-zag white-and-orange stem markings, and an absence of veil remnants on the cap. Amanita crocea, is edible.
Amanita echinocephala Solitary Amanita

This fungus favours south facing situations on chalk soils, usually with Birch but also with Beech.
Amanita excelsa var. spissa Grey Spotted Amanita

A largish, brownish-grey, stout fungus which is very variable, and hard to distinguish when older. It has recently become known as the Grey Spotted Amanita.
Amanita fulva Tawny Grisette Although Amanita fulva, commonly referred to as the Tawny Grisette, is not poisonous it must be well cooked before it may safely be eaten. It is easily confused with a Death Cap- though not as...
Amanita gemmata Jewelled Amanita

The cap of Amanita gemmata varies in colour from cream to bright yellow and the cap edge is grooved, often with patches of white veil adhering to it. The white stem has a fragile ring but this may...

Amanita inopinata Amanita inopinata

There is great curiosity as to where this strange species could have originated. At present, it seems most likely to have come from New Zealand.
Amanita muscaria Fly Agaric

Usually instantly recognisable! Unless rain washes the 'spots' the remains of the veil off the cap and turns it more orange - then it can cause some confusion and needs to be backed up with a look...

Amanita pantherina Panther Cap

While not poisonous, this fungi is psychoactive and contains the same chemicals as Muscaria and Gemmata, and it is the most potent of the three. However, it lack's the nasty lethal toxins found in...

Amanita phalloides Death Cap

An olive/pale green agaric renowned for its deadly effects on humans. This common mushroom is responsible for 90% of cases of fatal mushroom poisoning. All parts of the specimen remain deadly...

Amanita phalloides var. Alba Amanita phalloides var. alba

A white variation of the Death Cap. Equally as deadly.
Amanita rubescens The Blusher A very variable mushroom which is very common in various habitats. Said to be edible after careful parboiling but can apparently cause haemolysis if eaten raw.
Amanita rubescens var. annulosulphurea The Blusher

This large fungus grows either singly or in groups in deciduous woodland, especially with Birch, Beech and Oak and in coniferous woodland, especially with Pine and Spruce.
Amanita strobiliformis Warted Amanita

This is an often massive fungi that has a creamish white cap covered in thick fragments of veil, very often with veil fragments hanging off the cap edge. The gills are cowded, pale cream and...

Amanita submembranacea Amanita submembranacea

Amanita submembranacea is a medium sized fungus that is strongly olivaceous, initially with a pallid margin. Marginal striations occupy less than one fourth of the pileus radius.
Amanita vaginata Grisette Unlike many other Amanita species, Amanita vaginata - the Grisette - does not have a ring on its stem. Grisettes are not poisonous , but they are easily confused with Death Caps.
Amanita virosa Destroying Angel

Amanita virosa is a fatally poisonous fungus of damp woodland, especially acidic soil, often growing with Birch and Conifer trees. It can be mistaken for some Agarics species of fungi but all of...

Arcyria denudata Arcyria denudata

Sporocarps erect , often in large colonies, deep red, fading to...

Arcyria incarnata Arcyria incarnata

Common on dead wood, rarely reported from dung and on ...

Arcyria nutans Arcyria nutans A myxomycete
Armillaria borealis Armillaria borealis.
Armillaria gallica Bulbous Honey Fungus

This species usually appear alone, gregariously, or in tufts, usually appearing terrestrial (but actually...

Armillaria mellea Honey Fungus

Armillaria mellea is an extremely common fungus of woods, parks and gardens and is parasitic mainly on broadleaved trees, especially Oak and Beech. It can be difficult to identify as it's...

Armillaria ostoyae Dark Honey Fungus Note the characteristic double layer of darker scales on the collar-like ring. (Main Image supplied by CloudedYellow)
Arrhenia chlorocyanea Verdigris Navel A small dark grey heathland agaric with funnel-shaped cap and broad decurrent gills, favouring sandy soil. Cap: At first plano-convex with small papilla, soon applanate with depressed centre,...
Arrhenia retiruga Arrhenia retiruga Whitish-grey, cup-shaped then expanding, sessile, margin lobed. White spore print.
Arrhenia spathulata Arrhenia Spathulata

Very small fungi found on a moss over a gravelly or gritty substrate on sunny sheltered banks. Not Common grows late Autumn to early winter. This specimen was Verified by Dr P.Roberts @Kew k(m)...

Ascobolus carbonarius Ascobolus carbonarius
Ascobolus furfuraceus Ascobolus furfuraceus The fruit body is only a few hundred microns tall so it can be contained in the low power field of a microsocope.  The fruitbody is an apothecium (cup-shaped with an exposed layer of asci (hymenium...
Ascobolus hawaiiensis Ascobolus hawaiensis

A tiny coprophilous ascomycete. Recorded on sheep and rabbit dung; recognised chiefly by the warty spores and the spore-size (smaller than the rather similar Ascobolus stictoideus.
Ascocoryne cylichnium Ascocoryne cylichnium An ascomycete Distinguished from Ascocoryne sarcoides by the more obviously cup-shaped fruiting body and larger spores.  
Ascocoryne sarcoides Purple Jellydisc

A small, pinkish purple, saucer shaped gelatinous fungus on a short stem found growing in broadleaf woodland on dead wood, favouring Beech. 
Asterophora lycoperdoides Powdery Piggyback

This is a small fungus that is found occasionally, though more commonly during wet periods, growing from the rotting remains of Russula nigricans....

Aurantiporus fissilis Aurantiporus fissilis
Auricularia auricula-judae Jelly Ear

Fruit body 3-8cms across ear shaped, outersuface tan-brown with minute greyish downy hairs, inner surface grey-brown. smooth or often wrinkled and ear-like. gelatinous when fresh , drying hard and...

Auricularia mesenterica Tripe Fungus

A greyish-brown, gelatinous fungus found in tiered groups on rotting and dead branches and logs of broadleaf wood, less commonly on living wood.
Auriscalpium vulgare Ear Pick Fungus

The tiny Earpick fungus has a distinctive kidney shaped hairy reddish brown cap with a pler margin. The underside of the cap has pointed teeth that are up to 3mm long and are greyish in colour....