Funeral Bell

Poisonous Poisonous
Autumn Autumn
Summer Summer

The aptly named Funeral Bell contains the same toxins as the Deathcap so it is a good mushroom to get to know and then avoid.

Mushroom Type
Common Names Funeral Bell (EN), Cloch Godreog (CY), Hełmówka Jadowita (PL), Fenyves Sisakgomba (HU)
Scientific Name Galerina marginata
Season Start Aug
Season End Nov
Average Mushroom height (CM) 5
Average Cap width (CM) 4
Please note that each and every mushroom you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.

Cap

Varying in colour from pale yellow/brown to orange depending on how wet the cap is and how old, usually with a lighter edge compared to the centre.

Gills

Pale tan and fairly crowded.

Stem

Pale silvery/tan to almost black depending on age and weather conditions.

Skirt

Has a small membranous skirt.

Flesh

Pale and thin, darkening with age.

Habitat

Mainly on conifer stumps but can be found on deciduous tree stumps, woodchips and in open grassland.

Possible Confusion

Can look like the Velvet Shank but the Velvet Shank (Flammulina velutipes) has a black, velvety stem with no skirt although the stem is light tan on younger mushrooms.
Also looks very like Sheathed Woodtuft (Kuehneromyces mutabilis), which is an edible mushroom but looks too much like the Funeral Bell to make it a safe mushroom for consumption.

Spore Print

Snuff brown. Ellipsoid.

Frequency

Fairly common.

Other Facts

This mushroom is very poisonous and contains the same toxins as the Deathcap (Amanita phalloides).

COMMENTS

4 comments for Funeral Bell

  1. Andrew Linstead says:

    As a key identity – does this have the “bootlaces” like the honey Fungus?

    1. Eric Biggane says:

      The Funeral Bell does have rhizomorphs but I can’t find any images to confirm. I will look for some and update the guide with photos if I’m successful.

  2. مهدی says:

    Hi , i find some mushroom in realy big size near the stump of birch tree and its realy lookalike honeymushroom and it has big and white and tuff stem is this possible to be deadly Galerina marginata?

    1. Eric Biggane says:

      There is quite a size difference between the larger Honey fungus and the Funeral Bell but it is possible they could be confused. You can send photos to [email protected] and we’ll try to identify them for you. Please include photos of the cap, gills, stem and where they are growing.

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