Fairy ring mushrooms clearly showing the wide umbo and light tan colour. Thanks to Victor Moody for the photo.
Fairy Ring Champion.
A lone Fairy Ring showing the wide umbo.
Notice the gills are not crowded and do not join onto the stem.
A not quite circular ring.
Fairy ring mushrooms clearly showing the wide umbo and light tan colour. Thanks to Victor Moody for the photo.
Very mature fairy ring mushrooms. Thanks to Karen Reed for the photo.
Mushroom Type Edible
Common Name 2 Fairy ring mushrooms
Common Name 3 Elf rings
Common Name 4 Scotch bonnets
Latin Name Marasimus oreades
Season Start April
Season End August
Maximum height (CM) 8
Maximum width (CM) 5
Smell A little like sawdust.
Gills White turning pale tan/cream. Not crowded.
Spore Print White
Stem Off-white to pale tan. Thin and tough.
Cap Covex/conical opening flat with a wide umbo. Pale tan coloured usually with a darker umbo.
Flesh Off white.
Habitat Usually in rings or semi rings of varying diametres,and depending on the age of the parent fungi under ground. Found in short grass on lawns, roadside verges, parks and pasture.
Taste Good, mushroomy.
Possible Confusion Clitocybe Rivulosa which grows in similar habitats and in similar rings towards the middle and end of the Fairy Ring season. The main difference between the two is that the gills of Rivulosa run down the stem (decurrent) and those of the Fairy Ring are not attached to the stem. Also the edge of the cap of Rivulosa mainly stays in-turned even when the mushroom has opened out. The colours are different with the Rivulosa being lighter to white with concentric rings sometimes visable on the cap while the Fairy Ring is more light tan often with a slightly darker, wide umbo in the centre of the cap. Care should be taken when identify