(20 votes, average: 3.65 out of 5)
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Shaggy Scalycap
Inedible 
Autumn 
Summer 
The Shaggy Scalycap or Shaggy Pholiota can grow in large clusters and feels dry for a Pholiota. The scales on the cap and stem are from a universal veil which tears into scales as the mushroom grows.
| Mushroom Type | |
| Common Names | Shaggy Scalycap (EN), Shaggy Pholiota, Cap Cennog Blewog (CY), Łuskwiak Nastroszony (PL), Tüskés Tőkegomba (HU) |
| Scientific Name | Pholiota squarrosa |
| Season Start | Aug |
| Season End | Nov |
| Average Mushroom height (CM) | 10 |
| Average Cap width (CM) | 15 |
Cap
Starting fairly rounded then flattening out but retaining an in-rolled margin. Pale yellow with darker orange/brown scales covering the cap.
Gills
Starting pale yellow becoming cinnamon to brown. At first covered in a veil which breaks away to reveal the gills.
Cortina / Veil
The fairly robust veil covers the gills in young mushrooms.
Stem
Covered in orange/brown scales below the veil/skirt, smooth and pale yellow above.
Skirt
The veil breaks away and becomes a short lived skirt. The spore colour can be seen on top of the veil.
Flesh
Off white to pale yellow. Firm.
Habitat
Grows in clusters at the base of deciduous trees and tree stumps, occasionally with coniferous trees.
Possible Confusion
Honey Fungus, pictured, can look similar but the scales are less pronounced and do not cover the stem. Honey Fungus has a white spore print, Shaggy Scalycap spores are brown.
Spore Print
Rust brown. Bean shaped.
Taste / Smell
Smells radish like.
Frequency
Occasional.
Other Facts
It is thought the Shaggy Scalycap is a saprobe, possibly with a slight parasitic tendency.
2 comments for Shaggy Scalycap
Maybe Pholiota flammans should also be mentioned as another potential lookalike? I’m a beginner and made that mistake, I think!
Hi Dee,
Thank you for your suggestion. I didn’t really consider them as lookalikes, because of the following reasons:
Flaming Scalycap (Pholiota flammans) grows individually or in smaller groups on rotting conifer stumps and fallen dead woods of conifers, while Shaggy Scalycap (Pholiota squarrosa) mostly grows in clusters around the base of deciduous trees (and only rarely around coniferous trees). Not to mention that Flaming Scalycap is bright yellow, while Shaggy Scalycap is pale yellow.
However, we might put an additional comment once we created the Flaming Scalycap page.