Mushrooms Are No Joke

I visit the forest on a regular basis, but I have to admit that I never used to look for mushrooms; I was usually looking straight ahead or looking up at the trees. Well, a few summers ago I was inspired by an amazing Netflix documentary titled, Fantastic Fungi! Consquently, I began to look around on the ground during my forest walks and was surprised by how many mushrooms I discovered and now I’m hooked!

As a beginner mushroom enthusiast, I have decided to present a beginner’s guide outlining the basics of mushroom identification. Its easy to follow, organized and informative, accompanied by lots of defining phototgraphs of various mushroom characteristics and species.

Begin by familiarizing yourself with mushroom characteristics and terminology!

Next, go on a mushroom hunt and familiarize yourself with the mushrooms in your area. Search the web to help you identify your discoveries, but it’s a good idea to also purchase a mushroom pamphlet or book to help you identify them. It’s also a good idea to take it with you during your mushrooms hunt.

A Basic Description of Mushrooms

Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies from the Kingdom of Fungi. There are over 1.5 million species of fungi, six more times than plants. Of the 1.5 million fungi species, 20,000 produce mushrooms with an incredible diversity of shapes, sizes and lifestyles.

Mushrooms are not plants because, unlike plants, mushrooms do not use sunlight to photosynthesize their food. More like animals, they break down what they consume using enzymes.

Be Extra Careful Before Ingesting Mushrooms

If you desire to consume a certain mushroom for its deliciousness or highly nutritional and healing properties, it’s important to familiarize yourself with mushroom characteristics and terminology. Misidentifying a wild species for consumption can damage your liver or kidneys and even take your life.

When identifying mushrooms, their sheer numbers make them a challenging subject to pin down and further challenging by the variety of characteristics and lookalikes among certain species.

Before eating a wild mushroom: Obtain a positive ID through meticulous research. It’s advisable for beginners to seek out assistance from an experienced forager because there are lookalikes between certain edible and non-edible mushrooms. And it’s always wise to eat only a small portion of a wild mushroom for the first time to assess your body’s tolerance; even the well-known edible morel mushrooms can give some people a tummy ache.

You can also try joining a local mycological society to assist with identifying your mushroom finds.

Assess Your Surroundings

When you discover a mushroom, always look around the environment. What type of terrain is there? Is your mushroom growing from the soil, a live tree, a piece of dead wood, or an underground tree root? What other plants or trees are nearby? Is it growing in your lawn? Location matters.

Where the mushroom is growing matters for identification! (Tap and Slide to Enlarge)

Getting to know your trees is a good way to look for certain mushroom species because of the beneficial symbiotic relationships called “mycorrhizal” some mushrooms have with only certain tree species. For example, morel mushrooms commonly grow from the ground in symbiotic relationships under dying or dead trees, most notably elms, ash, tulip poplar and old apple orchard trees. Turkey tail mushrooms grow primarily on dead hardwood logs and stumps, including oak, beech, birch, maple, cherry and poplar.

Weather and seasons also determine when to look for certain mushroom species. Most common mushrooms thrive in moist cool weather between 55 – 75 F (13 – 24 C)

Various mushroom cap shapes are initial identifiers! (Tap and Slide to Enlarge)

Cap and Stem Mushrooms

The mushroom cap is generally the first thing that catches your eye, so observing its size, shape, colors, patterns and textures are good starting points for identification. Keep in mind some mushroom caps change quite drastically as they grow through stages.

Various mushroom cap shapes are initial identifiers! (Tap and Slide to Enlarge)

Observing the Cap Texture – Here are some questions you need to ask about the cap textures: Are there slightly raised patches or scales like the orange mushroom above labeled “Spherical”? Does the mushroom cap appear smooth, like the mushroom above labeled “Flat” or does the cap have a scaly, highly textured surface like the morel mushroom in the photo above labeled “Elongated Cyndrical”? A smooth cap may feel dry, velvety or slimy.

The universal veil is a thin cup-like membrane that completely surrounds an immature or developing mushroom. As the mushroom grows, it breaks the veil, sometimes leaving fragments, scales or warts on the cap surface or surrounding edges. The lemon yellow capped mushroom below left and the orange circular shaped mushroom cap above top-left labeled “Spherical” are a good examples showing universal veil fragments; the orange mushroom also shows the remains of the universal veil at the base.

Various Cap Edges (Tap and Slide to Enlarge)

Look closely at the mushroom cap edges or margins which also play an important role in mushroom identification shown in the photo demonstrations above and below.

The cap edges may have veil fragments that look like warts, or the edges may be wavy, smooth, or have teeth or tiny hairs. A hand lens is sometimes needed to observe whether there are fine hairs or teeth.

Various Cap Edges (Tap and Slide to Enlarge)

The edge may also be turned slightly upwards or have rather uniform ribbing, or it may be ragged and irregular, and yet it may even be scalloped—all seen above to be considered for identification.

Take into account the color of the mushroom cap which may be uniform over the entire surface, but it may also have variations, and the center may be a different color than the outer edges.

As mushrooms age, they tend to fade or darken which can also happen after being picked. Wet weather tends to darken the color. All these considerations need to be kept in mind for accurate identification.

Next take a close look at the stem. It’s a good idea to study it before picking the mushroom; some careful digging may be necessary.

Observe the length and thickness of the stem. Also, is it wider at the top or bottom or fairly equal from top to bottom? Does it bulge more abruptly at the base? Is it fairly straight, or does it curve? Is the stem hollow? Key examples of hollow stems include many Suillus and Chanterelle species.

Various Stem and Stem Base Shapes (Tap and Slide to Enlarge)

Does the base of the mushroom stem have mycelium, thin fungal roots that look like fine threads or a fuzzy covering? There are miles of fungi mycelium under our feet with every step in the forest, with trillions of pathways communicating information comparable to the neurons of the brain. They create a symbiotic network that links roots, trunks, and soil. These fungal threads often connect multiple trees forming a ‘wood wide web’ that transfers nutrients, water and warning signals across the entire forest ecosystem.

Be on the lookout for a “volva base” a fragile, cup-like structure (remains of the universal veil) that surrounds the stem base. This is characteristic of Volvariella and toxic Amanita mushrooms! Many other mushrooms, such as the various Boletes and Polypores, lack this feature entirely. 

Since fewer types of mushrooms have this structure as seen in the orange mushroom shown above, labled “Spherical”, you have already narrowed down your search determining whether a volva is present.

Stem Ring and Texture (Tap and Slide to Enlarge)

Partial Veils Offer Clues

You may notice a ring on the upper part of the stem. This is a remnant of the partial veil, a thin tissue that covers the developing gills or pores (explained below) over the underside of the cap on many mushroom species. This is not the same as the “universal veil”.

As the mushroom grows, it tears away at the partial veil, allowing the spores (microscopic particles that act like seeds) to disperse from the gills or pores under the cap. The veil may remain attached the stem as the mushroom grows leaving a “ring zone” or “simple ring” shown above, and some species even have a well-defined skirt-like ring.

The stem texture may be fairly featureless or scaly or have deeply grooved or slightly grooved patterns directly under the cap as shown in the example above labeled “Reticulated”. This is found primarily in the Bolete group of mushrooms. The stem may feel velvety, slimy or dry.

Analyzing the size of a mushroom is an important identifying factor, but be aware of the different stages of growth—some mushrooms are smaller versions of the same species.

Weather and environmental niches play a huge role in the growth, development and size of a mushroom. So it’s helpul to observe multiple specimens when possible.

The Spacing and Shape of the Gills Aid Identification – Observe underneath the cap. Many mushrooms have gills, thin blade-like structures referred to as “lamellae” by mycologists. They kind of look like the spokes on a bicycle.

Shown in the photos above and below, the spacing of the gills is an important identification point, ranging from tight to loose. And their shapes may be straight, jagged or wavy or have cross-veins (sorry, no photo examples of cross-veins as of yet, but you can imagine).

Examine how the gills are attached to the cap and stem. Do the gills run down from the cap directly unto the stem shown in the photo above? Mycologists refer this feature as decurrent gills, otherwise “attached gills”. If the gills stop short of the stem, that is called “free gills” or “unattached gills”.

Observe the color of the gills which vary from white, pink, yellow, brown and black. For example, the Meadow Mushroom (Agaricus campestris), commonly found in Michigan lawns and pastures, have pink gills when young that turn deep brown or chocolate-colored with age.

Mushroom reproductive spores are produced on the flat face of the gills and can affect the gill colors, especially over time as spores collect on them. Mature spores often turn chocolate-brown.

Some mushrooms display pores rather than gills with a sponge-like layer of very thin tubes attached to the underside of the cap. Spores develop inside the tubes, then drop down through the open ends when they mature.

Mushroom pore surfaces display various colors and textures as demonstrated in the photos above. Many species have pores that bruise or change color when handled or become damaged. Bolete mushrooms are the most well-known of the cap and stem mushrooms that bear pores with changing colors in some species.

Try Making a Spore Print – At home, it’s a good idea to make a spore print of your mushroom by placing a mushroom cap, gill or pore side down, on a sheet of paper, half black and half white. Cover with a bowl and let it sit overnight. If the spores are light colored, they will show up on the black portion and reverse for the darker colored spores. Spore color is another key to properly identify your mushroom.

Sometimes a dusting of spores may have already spread on a leaf or wood that is within close proximity to your mushroom location where you can observe the spore color.

Teeth and spines are also spore producing features of certain mushrooms. The Lion’s Mane mushroom (Hericium erinaceusis) shown above is a good example of this. But there are members of “cap and stem” mushrooms with this defining feature as well, such as members of the genus, Hydnellum or “tooth fungi”. The Hedgehog mushroom (Hydnum repandum), for example, possess spines under the caps.

Left: Crown Tipped Coral Mushroom (Artomyces pyxidatus) Right: Spiny Puffball Mushoom (Lycoperdon echinatum) (Tap and Slide to Enlarge)

Other Spore-Bearing Structures

• Puffball mushrooms, for example, produce spores within their interiors. When the spores ripen, the mushroom loses its spherical shape, shrinking from the top and when lightly touched, bursts open scattering its spores.
• The Crown Tipped Coral mushroom disperse spores from the surface of its upright, branching crown-like structures, which are covered in spore-producing cells.
• Morel mushrooms carry their spores in pits between external ridges. Like most mushrooms, their spores are released into the air to be carried away by wind, water, insects or animals. Morel mushroom spores allow the fungus to spread to new, decayed wood, often in late spring or summer.
• Chanterelle mushrooms have spore-bearing folds that look like gills at a quick glance, but are merely thin, raised veins. They display the solitary trumpet-shaped structure rather than a distinct cap and separate stem.

Shelf Mushrooms

Shelf Mushrooms (Tap and Slide to Enlarge)

A shelf mushroom, or bracket fungus, is a woody or leathery non-gilled fungus that grows horizontally from living tree trunks, fallen logs or dead stumps resembling a shelf. Lacking a stem, they often grow in layers; are perennial adding new layers each year; they help decompose dead wood. Known as polypores, they release spores from the underside consisting of tiny tubes or pores. They range in shape from semicircular, fan-shaped structures to massive clamshell shaped growths called “conks“. 

Key Identification Features for Shelf Mushrooms

• Host Tree: Note if it is growing on hardwood (like oak or maple) or conifer (like hemlock or pine). For example, Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma tsugae) specifically grows on hemlock trees. Also notice if a mushroom is growing high up the tree or closer to the ground. Also, note if it is growing on dead fallen logs or stumps rather than living trees.
• Texture: Determine if the mushroom is woody, corky, or leathery, or if it is tender (when young); note if it is thin or thick; also if the surface is smooth or wrinkled.
• Shape and Growth Habit: Observe if the shelf mushroom grows individually, in clusters, or in large, layered shelves. Some are bracket-shaped, while others are more horse-hoofed shaped. The shelf mushroom photo above (top left) Smoky Polypore (Bjerkandera adusta) is good example of shelf mushrooms growing in clusters.
• Color and Surface: Look at the color of the top and bottom. Some, like the Artist’s Conk (Ganoderma applanatum), have a brown top and white underside that turns dark when bruised. Others like the Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) is deep reddish with a yellowish-brown underside (photo above bottom right). Also note if the surface is shiny or dull. The Violet Toothed Polypores (Trichaptum biforme) also shown above stands out with violiet purple edging and medium thin brackets growing in clusters.
• Spore Print: Although not always necessary for all species, taking a spore print can help, though some polypores like Chicken of the Woods might not produce a clear one. 

Three Common Shelf Mushrooms

• Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus): Bright orange/yellow, edible, and fleshy. (Described below)
• Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor): Medium thin, leathery, and multi-colored in circular zones. (Photo beginning of article)
• Hemlock Varnish Shelf (Ganoderma tsugae): Shiny, red/orange, and grows on hemlock trees. 

Three Common Mushrooms found in Michigan Identified

All the photos of mushrooms portrayed in this photo essay were growing in Michigan which share many mushroom species with many other U.S. locations as well as locations in other countries including Europe and Asia. Below, I have profiled three examples of common mushrooms that grow in my Southern Michigan locality to demonstrate the process of determining their identities beginning with the “cap and stem” mushroom Amanita, citrina (False Death Cap).

False Death Cap Mushroom (Amanita Citrina)

1. False Death Cap (Amanita citrina) 

• Distribution: Widespread east of the Rocky Mountains
• Environment: Micorrhizal, (beneficial relationship) with hardwoods or conifers; grows from the ground singly, scattered or in loose groups; appears summer and fall.
• Cap: 2.5–8 cm (1–2 in) wide depending on stage; grows from egg shape to round/dome shape to nearly flat with maturity; smooth surface; lemon-yellow to greenish-yellow, but fading to yellow-tan to almost white past maturity; adorned with soft, grayish to whitish, brownish or purplish patches or warts when young (but these sometimes fade or disappear by maturity).
• Note: The lemon yellow cap with patches help distinguish it from Amanita phalloides (Death Cap) which is the most deadly of all fungi; it is more bald and duller greenish-yellow colored than the False Death Cap.

• Cap Edges: Not ribbed when young, but sometimes becoming very slightly lined at maturity.
• Stem: 4–9 cm (1.5–3.5 in) long; fairly equal slender width along length except abrupt bulbous base, especially when young; white to lemon yellow to tanish; fine mycellium hairs on the lower portion; fairly persistent skirt-like ring towards the top of stem, but can diminish to just a ring zone.

• Gills: Under cap unattached or free from the stem; close or crowded, sometimes with some shorter gills; creamy or sometimes yellowish in age.
• Spore Print: White

Note: Amanita citrina has a raw potato smell which serves as another identifying feature. It is toxic, but not deadly; not recommended for consumption.

2. Smoothish Stemmed Bolete (Hemileccium subglabripes)

• Distribution: Is widely spread in northern and eastern North America; also appearing in the northern Rocky Mountains.
• Environment: Mycorrhizal (symbiotic relationship with the tiny rootlets of plants, usually trees); is associated with pines and hardwoods, including birch, aspen, oaks and hickories; appears alone or in loose groups during summer and fall.
• Cap: Rounded/dome shape 3–10 cm (1–4 in) wide; smooth, barely wrinkled texture; occasionally very slight velvety when young; medium brown, paler olive brown, reddish-brown, orangish-brown, or tan color.
• Cap Edge/Margin: Smooth; slightly darker line; somewhat turned up in places.

• Pore Surface: Under cap; bright yellow when young, becoming olive-yellow to dirty green with age; medium size angular pores; may blue when handled, but rarely.
• Stem: 4.5–10 cm (1.5–4 in) long; fairly equal width along length; often a little curved tapering somewhat at the base; no rings; subtle scabers (raised scales) that are initially yellow but mature to faint reddish from the base upwards; very rarely bruising a little bluish when handled; basal mycelium is white.
• Spore Print: Olive-brown
• Edible: If eaten fresh, it may cause upset stomach, but after drying is reportedly safe.

Note: Is also sometimes called Banana Bolete or Yellow Bolete. DNA testing moved the genus from Boletus to Hemileccium.

3. Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulphureus) 

Renowned for its texture and mild, lemony flavor resembling chicken, this mushroom is ideal for beginners due to its distinct appearance and lack of poisonous lookalikes.

• Distribution: Widely distributed east of the Rocky Mountains.
• Environment: Hardwood forests on living or dying trees, particularly oaks, cherry or locust appearing high above ground; Parasitic and saprobic (decomposes dead organic material); is a sign the tree is being attacked by parasitic mycelium, causing heart rot of tree. Typically grows from late summer into late fall, sometimes appearing sooner in early summer.

• Cap: Fan shaped with several thick overlapping shelves 5–25 cm (2–10 in) across, but sometimes forming rosettes on top of fallen trees; conspicuous yellow-orange colors fading to dull yellow with age and eventually almost dull white; texture is smooth to wrinkled; soft at first, turning leathery with age.

• Edges: Smooth, thick; typically orange/yellow, consistent with shelf-cap.
• Stem: None

Chicken of the Woods Mushroom (Laetiporus sulphureus) – Underside Pores

• Pore Surface: Underside; bright yellow to orange to similar color as cap; small circular to angular pores; non bruising.
• Growth Habit: Grows in clusters and singly
• Spore Print: White
• Edible: Has meaty texture and reportedly tastes like chicken, but can cause a little upset stomach in some people. Always cook before consuming.

Note: Laetiporus sulphureus is also called “Sulphur Shelf” and Polyporus sulphureus. Other similar forms grow on hemlocks and other conifers, or grows from the ground with white pore surface.

Recommended Mushroom Websites

23 Musrhooms that Grow in Clusters

17 Types of Lawn Mushrooms

Field Guide to Common Macrofungi in Eastern Forests and Their Ecosystem

Mushroom Appreciation.Com

Research References

• Mushrooms of the Upper Midwest, A Simple Guide to Common Mushroom by Teresa Marrone and Kathy Yerich
• Some Common Mushrooms of Michigan’s Parks and Recreation Areas by Alexander H. Smith and Helen V. Smith
• Field Guide to Common Macrofungi in Eastern Forests and Their Ecosystem Functions by Michael E. Ostry, Neil A. Anderson and Joseph G. O’Brien
• Mushroom Appreciation.Com
• Fantastic Fungi Documentary
• Mushroom Expert
• Mushroom Oberver
• iNaturalist

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.

© 2026 Fossillady