Called the Deceiver as it looks like many other small fungi and can be various hues and colours.
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The Deceiver
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The Deceiver
| Mushroom Type | |
| Common Names | The Deceiver (EN), Waxy Laccaria, Twyllwr Gloyw (CY), Lakówka Pospolita (PL), Húsbarna Pénzecskegomba (HU) |
| Scientific Name | Laccaria laccata |
| Season Start | Jun |
| Season End | Nov |
| Average Mushroom height (CM) | 2-9 |
| Average Cap width (CM) | 1.5-5 |
Please note that each and every mushroom you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.
Cap
1.5-5 cm. Convex to flattened with depressed centre and even upturned edges, can have undulating edges with age. Red/orange/salmon pink/brown but fading with age.
Gills
Gills red/orange/salmon pink/brown. Widely spaced, broad and irregular with shorter gills in between. The gills have a smooth notch just before reaching the stem or become shallow before reaching the stem (adnate, emarginate).
Stem
2-9 cm long, 0.2-0.8 cm diameter. Red/orange/salmon pink/brown. Fibrous, twisted, tough and quite often hollow.
Flesh
Red/brown to pale.
Habitat
Mixed wood and heathland, parks and paths. Usually in large numbers when found.
Possible Confusion
A few species of small mushrooms look similar so be sure of the identity before consuming. The Funeral Bell, Galerina marginata, pictured, is the most dangerous look-a-like but grows on wood and has a ring on the stem.
Spore Print
White, cream/yellow. Globose to subglobose with spines.
Taste / Smell
OK but best added to other mushroom dishes to make up the numbers. Use only the caps as the stems are fibrous.
Frequency
Very common and widespread.
Other Facts
In March 2025 the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) added 1000 fungal species to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. The IUCN (Global) Conservation Status of The Deceiver (Laccaria laccata) is: LC – Least Concern, with stable population. For more information, see on the following link.
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