Inky Mushroom
Poisonous 
Autumn 
Summer 
The Inky Mushroom, Agaricus moelleri.
A fairly common mushroom that can often be found in large numbers. When first spotted it usually causes a bit of excitement as it can resemble the Prince, then when smelt, disappointment sets in.
| Mushroom Type | |
| Common Names | Inky Mushroom (EN), Madarch Llwyd-Ddu (CY), Pieczarka Szarołuskowa (PL), Tintaszagú Csiperke (HU) |
| Scientific Name | Agaricus moelleri |
| Season Start | Jun |
| Season End | Oct |
| Average Mushroom height (CM) | 8-14 |
| Average Cap width (CM) | 7-10 |
Please note that each and every mushroom you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.
Cap
7-10 cm. White but covered with tiny smoky/grey or brown scales which are more dense towards the middle. Starting ovoid but becoming flat.
Gills
Crowded and free of the stem. The gills start pink and stay like that until finally becoming dark brown/black.
Stem
8-14 cm long, 1-1.2 cm diameter. White and slightly bulbous towards the base.
Skirt
Has a large, superior, membranous skirt.
Flesh
White discolouring slightly yellow and becoming brown.
Habitat
Mainly woodland in troops but can be found occasionally in grassland.
Spore Print
Brown. Ellipsoid.
Frequency
Fairly common.
4 comments for Inky Mushroom
You say:
“When first spotted it usually causes a bit of excitement as it can resemble the Prince, then when smelt, disappointment sets in.”
What does the Inky Mushroom smell like that makes it different from The Prince?
The Prince has an Amareto or bitter almond smell and a wonderful taste, the Inky mushroom smells of Indian ink or Phenol and is toxic.
This looks alot like the common garden mushroom but, does it peel like a common mushroom?
We don’t use peeling as an ID as I can peel the cap of many poisonous mushrooms. The main difference is that it will turn yellow if cooked and smell of phenol or ink.