Frosted Chanterelle

Cap

First rounded to convex, later flattened, finally more funnel shaped with the end. Pale to deep egg-yellow with a whiting dust-like cover, fading to more orangish with age. Margin is incurved when young, later become irregular and wavy.

Gills

Only has pseudo-gills or ridges, not real gills. They are running down to the stem (decurrent), narrow, vein-like, often forked. Pale, ochre yellow.

Stem

2–4 cm tall, 0.5–1.5 cm wide. Cylindrical, or more or less to tapering towards the stem base. Solid and slightly paler than the cap, bruising dark orange to rust.

Flesh

Thick, solid, pale yellow.

Habitat

On soil, ectomycorrhizal with broadleaved trees, preferably with beech and oak, rarely with conifers. It doesn’t need as acidic soil as Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius), you can even find it on slightly alkaline soil.

Possible Confusion

It can be confused with other Chanterelle species.

Chanterelle (Cantharellus cibarius), pictured, has much intensive yellow colour. It is normally smaller and prefers more acidic soil. It has broader mycorrhizal partner range, prefers beech, birch, oak, spruce and pine. Its fruity smell which reminds of apricot is a giveaway even if we found paler specimens.

Amethyst Chanterelle (Cantharellus amethysteus), has various yellow based colour with a hint of purple to amethyst at the centre. It also prefers acidic soil, fruiting under hardwoods, e.g. oak, beech and birch, but occasionally under conifers, e.g. spruce.

Pale Chanterelle (Cantharellus ferruginascens), looks rather similar than Frosted Chanterelle, however there is no whitish dust-like cover at centre of its cap. It is one of the rarest amongst the Chanterelles in the UK.

Spore Print

Cream. Ellipsoid, smooth and more or less colourless (hyaline) with drops.

Taste / Smell

Taste and smell mild, not distinctive.

Frequency

Near Threatened (Red Data List 2006), and rarely reported, however considered widespread in the UK, more common on Mainland Europe.