Tawny Funnel

Description

The tawny funnel cap has a cap up to 10 cm across, reddish, brownish or ochraceous-orange, at first convex, becoming depressed with age to funnel-shaped. In forms growing under broad-leaved trees it is matt, silky and flaccid; in forms from under conifers it is smoother, shiny and more rigid. The gills are crowded, decurrent and paler than the cap, and the stem is yellowish, up to 10 cm tall. The flesh is whitish and smells peppery, and the spore print is white to cream.

It grows from summer to autumn on humus-rich soil, compost and conifer needles, in deciduous and coniferous woods. The fruiting bodies usually appear in groups and sometimes form fairy rings.

It can be confused with Paralepista gilva (yellower cap and stem, dark spots on the cap) and with Infundibulicybe gibba (thinner flesh, less crowded gills). In parts of southern Europe a poisonous species of similar habit also grows, with a strong smell. In the catalogue the tawny funnel cap is classed as inedible, so do not collect it for eating.

Identification features

Cap

Up to 10 cm in diameter; convex, becoming depressed in the centre to funnel-shaped in older specimens. Colour variable, brownish: ochraceous, orange or reddish. In the "flaccida" form the surface is matt and silky and the whole fruiting body is flaccid; in the "inversa" form the surface is shiny and the fruiting body is rigid.

Hymenophore (underside of the cap)

Gills decurrent, closely packed, paler than the cap.

Stem

Up to 10 cm tall and up to 1 cm thick; yellowish.

Flesh

Whitish, with a peppery smell. Taste: no data; do not taste the flesh.

Spore print and spores

Spore print white to cream. Spores almost spherical, finely spiny or warty, about 4.5 µm in diameter.

Habitat and distribution

Ecology. Saprotroph on humus-rich soil, compost and conifer needles. The "flaccida" form grows in deciduous woods, the "inversa" form under conifers. Fruiting bodies often appear in large numbers and may form fairy rings.

Distribution. Northern Hemisphere; common in Europe. It also occurs in the United States, and there are reports from Mexico and Australia. Data on occurrence in Poland: no data. It is not legally protected in Poland.

Fruiting. Summer to autumn.

What can it be confused with?

• Paralepista gilva (Polish: lejkówka żółtawa) — A close relative; it has a yellower cap and stem and dark spots on the cap surface.
• Infundibulicybe gibba (Polish: lejkówka dzbankowata) — Thinner flesh, less crowded gills; microscopically, the spores are smooth and teardrop-shaped.
• Paralepistopsis amoenolens — A poisonous species with a limited range (North Africa, southern France, southern Italy). It has a strong, characteristic smell, a beige colour, a less depressed cap and smooth spores.

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

• For a long time the "flaccida" form (under broad-leaved trees) and the "inversa" form (under conifers) were regarded as two separate species; today they are merged into one.
• The genus Paralepista was separated on the basis of molecular analysis in 2012 (Alfredo Vizzini); previously the species was placed in Clitocybe or Lepista.
• The fungus produces clitolactone, which deters slugs, and clitocine, which has insecticidal activity.
• The fruiting bodies may form fairy rings.