Freckled Dapperling
Poisonous 
Autumn 
Summer 
Formerly a member of the Lepiota family this mushroom has undergone quite a few taxanomic changes and is now accepted as a member of the Echinoderma (meaning hedgehog or porcupine like skin) family.
| Mushroom Type | |
| Common Names | Freckled Dapperling |
| Scientific Name | Echinoderma asperum |
| Synonyms | Lepiota aspera, Lepiota friesii, Cystolepiota aspera |
| Season Start | Aug |
| Season End | Nov |
| Average Mushroom height (CM) | 10 |
| Average Cap width (CM) | 13 |
Cap
The cap is tan/pale brown with dark brown pyramid scales especially concentrated in the middle. The cap starts convex but opens out flat to having upturned edges with age.
Gills
White and very crowded and free from the stem. Young mushrooms have a cotton like veil covering the gills rather like a Cortinarius.
Stem
The stem is off white to tan, smooth above the ring, sparsely covered in brown scales below.
Skirt
Smooth and cotton like on top with brown scales at the edge on the underside.
Flesh
White.
Habitat
Mainly deciduous woodland or on woodchip in parks or gardens. More frequent in Southern Britain.
Possible Confusion
Can look like the rarer Echinoderma hystrix.
Has a passing resemblance to The Blusher, pictured.
Spore Print
White. Dextrinoid.
Frequency
Occasional.
Other Facts
The edibility of this mushroom seems unknown and it has been shown to have adverse effects when consumed with alcohol so we don’t recommend consumption of this mushroom.
4 comments for Freckled Dapperling
This looks just like a sarcodon imbrecatus or squamosus, is the only visible difference the gills? I thought I had identified a sarcodon imbrecatus a few days ago, apparently edible. This looks so close on first glance!
Sarcodon species have spines instead of gills.
Freckled Dapperling looks like Parasol … They all big size, flat and smell good…how to distinguish them 🧐
The Parasol has the snakeskin pattern on the stem, a moveable skirt and is taller and wider than the Freckled Dapperling.