''Lepiota helveola'' is a gilled

mushroom A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing Sporocarp (fungi), fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or another food source. ''Toadstool'' generally refers to a poisonous mushroom. The standard for the n ...

of the genus ''

Lepiota ''Lepiota'' is a genus of gilled mushrooms in the family Agaricaceae. All ''Lepiota'' species are ground-dwelling saprotrophs with a preference for rich, calcareous soils. Basidiocarps (fruit bodies) are agaricoid with whitish spores, typica ...

'' in the order

Agaricales The Agaricales are an order (biology), order of fungi in the division (mycology), division Basidiomycota. As originally conceived, the order contained all the agarics (gilled mushrooms), but subsequent research has shown that not all agarics are ...

. It was described by Italian mycologist

Giacomo Bresadola Giacomo Bresadola ( Mezzana, Trento; often given as Giacopo) 14 February 1847 – Trento 9 June 1929) was an eminent Italian mycologist. Fungi he named include the deadly '' Lepiota helveola'' and ''Inocybe patouillardii'', though the latter ...

in 1882. It has white gills and spores. They typically have rings on the stems, Like several other species of the genus ''Lepiota'', it contains

amatoxin Amatoxins are a subgroup of at least nine related cyclic peptide toxins found in three genera of deadly poisonous mushrooms (''Amanita'', '' Galerina'' and '' Lepiota'') and one species of the genus '' Pholiotina''. Amatoxins are very potent, as li ...

s which may cause potentially fatal liver injury.

Description

Cap 1.5–3 cm in diameter, convex to spreading, often with flattened disc, sometimes depressed, fibrillose, with fibrous scales at disc on whitish ground, fine concentric scales recurved around edges, moderate reddish brown, sometimes tinged pink to vinous, with a straight or wavy margin, sometimes raised with age. Blades free, set on a dark collarium on one or two thirds, white then creamy buff, tight, with finely fringed edges. Stem 2–4 x 0.3–0.7 mm, equal, stuffed then hollow, with bands of appressed, encrusted, brown fibrous scales on a white to pink-tinged ground, turning brown on crumpling, with a sometimes fleeting ring, similar to foot scales. Smell and flavor very sweet, fungal and slightly fragrant odor, sometimes indistinct, and fungal then metallic flavor.

References

helveola Deadly fungi Poisonous fungi Fungi of Europe Fungi described in 1882 Taxa named by Giacomo Bresadola Fungus species {{Agaricaceae-stub

Description

See also

References