Deadly poisonous mushroom. Do not pick it or touch your mouth after handling it. Symptoms may appear only after many hours. If you suspect poisoning, call 112. Do not wait for symptoms.
Description
The fatal dapperling is a small gilled mushroom with a light red to red-brown cap, cream towards the margin. It has whitish gills, white to pinkish flesh with a fruity smell and a cream stem with patches in the colour of the cap, sometimes slightly thicker at the base.
It grows in woods and in humus-rich parks.
It contains amatoxins and can be deadly poisonous. Do not pick small dapperlings for eating; the poison cannot be removed in the kitchen.
Identification features
- Cap
- Light red to red-brown, cream towards the margin. No data on size, shape and scale covering.
- Hymenophore (underside of the cap)
- Gills whitish. No data on attachment to the stem.
- Stem
- May be slightly thicker at the base, cream, with patches or scales in the colour of the cap. No data on size and ring.
- Flesh
- White to pinkish towards the top. Smell slightly fruity, taste unpleasant — it must never be tested; do not taste the flesh of any suspicious mushroom.
- Spore print and spores
- No data (spore print colour and spore size).
Habitat and distribution
Ecology. Occurs in woods and in humus-rich parks. No further data.
Distribution. Eurasia and North America. No data on occurrence in Poland or on Red List status. Not legally protected.
Fruiting. No data.
What can it be confused with?
- Macrolepiota procera (parasol mushroom) — Sometimes confused; detailed differences — no data.
Never rely on a single feature. If you are not sure — do not pick it; show the mushroom to a qualified mushroom expert.
Interesting facts
- It was described in 1940 by the Danish mycologist Jakob Emanuel Lange.
- The species Lepiota josserandii, described by Bon and Boiffard in 1974, turned out to be the same species.
Gribo does not assess edibility. Identification from a photo — also in the app — does not replace a mushroom expert.
Look-alikes: Fatal Dapperling and similar species
Frequently asked questions
When does Fatal Dapperling grow?
According to observations in Poland (GBIF) the season is: September – November; most records fall in October.
Where does Fatal Dapperling grow?
Occurs in woods and in humus-rich parks. No further data.
What can Fatal Dapperling be confused with?
The most often mentioned look-alikes are: Parasol mushroom (Macrolepiota procera). Never rely on a single feature — if in doubt, show the mushroom to an expert.
Is Fatal Dapperling poisonous?
Yes — a deadly poisonous mushroom. If you suspect poisoning, call 112 and take the leftover mushrooms to the doctor.
In the Gribo app this species also has a 3D model you can rotate, photos in the quiz and warnings when identifying with the camera. See how to get started.