''Clitocybe fragrans'' is a species of mushroom with several lookalikes, some of which are

poisonous A poison is any chemical substance that is harmful or lethal to living organisms. The term is used in a wide range of scientific fields and industries, where it is often specifically defined. It may also be applied colloquially or figurati ...

Description

It is a white mushroom. The

cap A cap is a flat headgear, usually with a visor. Caps have crowns that fit very close to the head. They made their first appearance as early as 3200 BC. The origin of the word "cap" comes from the Old French word "chapeau" which means "head co ...

ranges from in diameter. The gills are somewhat close. The

stem Stem or STEM most commonly refers to: * Plant stem, a structural axis of a vascular plant * Stem group * Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics Stem or STEM can also refer to: Language and writing * Word stem, part of a word respon ...

is long and wide. It has a fragrant odour resembling

aniseed Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, ...

. The

spore print 300px, Making a spore print of the mushroom ''Volvariella volvacea'' shown in composite: (photo lower half) mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; (photo upper half) cap removed after 24 hours showing warm orange ("tussock") color spore print. ...

is whitish.

Similar species

Within its genus, it notably resembles the deadly '' Clitocybe dealbata'' (which lacks the anise odour) and the edible '' Clitocybe odora'' (the aniseed toadstool). Other lookalikes lacking the anise scent can be found especially in the genera ''

Leucocybe ''Leucocybe'' is a recently defined mushroom genus in the family Tricholomataceae (in the broad sense). The species resemble '' Clitocybe'' and grow in forests or disturbed areas. Etymology The name ''Leucocybe'' is derived from ancient Greek ' ...

'', ''

Rhizocybe ''Rhizocybe'' is a genus of fungus in the order Agaricales. The species resemble ''Clitocybe'' and grow amongst litter in predominantly coniferous forests. Etymology The name ''Rhizocybe'' is derived from ancient Greek ''rhizo'' referring to it ...

'', '' Singerocybe''.

Distribution and habitat

It can be found throughout Europe growing in broadleaf woodland, from August to December. It can also be found in North America's West Coast and

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (PNW; ) is a geographic region in Western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though no official boundary exists, the most common ...

regions under conifers, from October to February.

Edibility

While

edible An edible item is any item that is safe for humans to eat. "Edible" is differentiated from " eatable" because it does not indicate how an item tastes, only whether it is fit to be eaten. Nonpoisonous items found in nature – such as some mushroo ...

, some guides caution against its consumption as it can be confused with deadly

species. It can be preserved by drying.

References

External links

*
Clitocybe fragrans
' fragans Edible fungi Fungi described in 1792 Fungi of Europe Fungus species {{Tricholomataceae-stub