Mushroom umbrella: how to distinguish from poisonous, photo and video

Many mushroom pickers in the process of “silent hunting” often encounter unusual mushrooms with a long thin stem and a large flat saucer-like hat on the side of highways, in groves and on the edges of mixed forests. At first glance, they resemble a fly agaric or pale grebe. In fact, these mushrooms are called macrolepiotes or umbrellas in the common people. They belong to the Champignon family and can be eaten raw. But not all of them are edible. Photos of poisonous umbrella mushrooms will help you not to make a mistake when collecting and make the right choice in the forest.

What can be confused with an umbrella mushroom

Almost all edible mushrooms have poisonous or false counterparts. Umbrellas are no exception. Some of their representatives are inedible, and they should be able to distinguish them using the main external signs.

The edible parasol mushroom is often confused with the poisonous toadstool.

Most often, umbrellas are confused with pale grebes or inedible twins. Poisonous mushrooms may bear a great resemblance to them in a number of external features. By studying the characteristic features of these species, you can learn to distinguish umbrella-like mushrooms by the color, size and shape of the cap. And in no case should you collect fruiting bodies that cause even the slightest doubt:

1. Chlorophyllum lead slag – the poisonous twin of the umbrella. The size of the white cap with brown scales can be from 7 to 30 cm. The smooth leg is framed by a ring. Light flesh has a neutral taste and smell, when damaged, the color becomes brown. The cut is slightly reddened. If you press on the plates, they will acquire a yellow tint. Unlike true umbrellas, these twins have a white stem that darkens with age and acquires a gray-green, sometimes olive color.
   
   

   Poisonous umbrella mushrooms grow singly, rarely – “witch rings”

2. Chlorophyllum dark brown or brown has a fleshy hat, 10-15 cm in diameter, covered with brown scales. The flesh of the false umbrella fungus changes color from white to orange-red when damaged. The leg of an adult poisonous double is shorter and thicker than that of a real umbrella. It is smoother and has an outgrowth in the form of a tuber, reaching a diameter of up to 6 cm. Also, a distinctive feature is the absence of a pattern on the leg.
   
   

   Dark brown chlorophyllum differs from a real umbrella in its short stature

3. white grebe (fly agaric smelly). The toxic twin has a very high toxicity. The difference between an umbrella mushroom and a toadstool lies in the surface of the cap. In an edible representative, it is covered with scales resulting from cracking of the skin. The hat of the white grebe is smooth, white, sometimes with a gray tint.
   
   

   If the smelly fly agaric is broken, its flesh will exude a very unpleasant odor.

4. Amanita muscaria less than other brothers it looks like an umbrella, but sometimes they are still confused. You can distinguish a fly agaric from an umbrella by a flat brown hat covered with scales. The leg is white, thickened below. The color of the poisonous pulp does not change when broken and is characterized by an unpleasant taste and smell.
   
   

   The dark brown cap of the panther fly agaric with white flaky patches betrays its poisonous origin.

Types of edible umbrella mushrooms

There are several edible types of parasol mushrooms that have a delicious taste. Despite the external similarity, they have a number of differences:

1. White mushroom-umbrella (field, meadow). The size of the scaly matte cap reaches 7-13 cm. At a young age, it has a rounded shape, in the form of an egg. Growing up, it opens, becoming almost flat with a convex dark tubercle. The structure of the cylindrical leg is hollow. Outwardly, it looks slightly curved, white in color with a darker ring. Turns brown when damaged. The height reaches 5-14 cm. It grows from mid-June to early October in all countries of Eurasia, in Australia and in the northern parts of Africa and America. Received special popularity in traditional Chinese cuisine.
   
   

   The plates of young mushrooms are white in color, the old ones darken, the flesh is light with a pleasant smell

2. Mushroom-umbrella reddening (chicken coop, shaggy). The cap of young representatives of this species has the shape of a ball. The surface is covered with fibrous scales, painted in beige, gray or light brown. The diameter reaches 7-22 cm. The length of the smooth stem depends on the place of growth and ranges from 6 to 26 cm. It is painted white or light brown, darkening with time. The cylindrical shape tapers at the top. Inside the leg is hollow, it is easy to get rid of the hat. The flesh is white, fibrous to the touch, brittle. Light plates turn red or orange when pressed, which gave the name to this type of edible umbrella mushroom. Also, red-brown stains are clearly visible on the cut. It can be eaten in any form, but it is first recommended to clean the surface of the cap from hard scales.
   Important! Blushing umbrella mushroom can cause allergic reactions, so people prone to this disease should be careful when using them.
   

   The name of the blushing umbrella was given by its ability to change the white color of the pulp and plates into carrots.

3. Variegated parasol mushroom (large, tall). A bright hat ranging in size from 15 to 38 cm, with a smooth tubercle in the center and inwardly curved edges, is covered with dark scales. The plates are easily separated, as well as a thick cylindrical leg, painted in a brown uniform color and reaching a height of 10 to 35 cm. The pulp is loose, light. It has a slight pleasant, mushroom aroma. Before cooking, it is recommended to clean the surface of hard scales. French gourmets fry the caps of variegated umbrella mushrooms in oil with the addition of herbs. The disadvantages include the fact that when frying, these mushrooms greatly decrease in volume.
   
   

   In Italy, a motley umbrella for the length and slenderness of the legs was called “drum sticks”

4. Mushroom umbrella graceful (thin). An edible mushroom on a thin, sometimes curved stem, reaching from 10 to 15 cm in height and 0,8-2 cm in thickness, is covered with a scaly cap with a tubercle. Its diameter is from 5 to 15 cm.
   
   

   The light leg of an elegant umbrella mushroom darkens with age, in the upper part it is framed by a wide “skirt”

5. Mushroom-umbrella mastoid. The light cap in adulthood becomes darker in the central part. It is covered with scales in the form of flakes, densely located in the middle and not affecting the edges. In diameter it can reach from 7 to 12 cm. The height of the hollow leg is 7-16 cm. In the upper part there is a ring with a fringe.
   
   

   The tubercle in the central part of the cap of the mastoid umbrella mushroom is more pronounced than in other edible species.

6. Umbrella girlish. Very rare mushroom, is under protection. In Our Country, it is found only on Sakhalin and in the Primorsky Territory. It differs from other varieties in the small size of the cap, which is 4 to 7 cm in diameter, and the smell of radish.
   
   

   The girl’s umbrella has a very beautiful hat covered with scales that give the impression of ruffled lace frills.

7. Conrad umbrella. The medicinal mushroom differs from others in a star-shaped pattern on a small cap, reaching 3-6 cm in size. A silky film covers the central part of the surface, exposing the edges.
   
   

   Konrad’s umbrella grows in coniferous, deciduous and mixed forests, where it is easy to distinguish by the pattern on the hat

What do poisonous umbrellas look like?

The umbrella mushroom also has inedible counterparts, some of which are even poisonous:

1. Lepiota chestnut. A small hat less than 4 cm in size is covered with brick-colored scales. The plates of an adult poisonous mushroom change from white to yellow. The flesh is dark red, with a repulsive odor. The foot is widened at the base.
   
   

   The poisonous chestnut lepiota is distinguished by its brindle hat color

2. Lepiota combed (comb silverfish). The poisonous species is characterized by a modest cap size, not exceeding 5 cm.
   
   

   The poisonous comb umbrella has a hollow thin stem and wavy cap edges.

3. Lepiota roughata (Umbrella sharp-scaly). The fleshy cap is yellowish-brick in color, capable of reaching 15 cm. The long leg is painted light yellow. The film ring is covered with dirty-colored scales.
   
   

   The cap of the rough umbrella is covered with dark large scales.

In order not to confuse edible umbrella mushrooms with poisonous counterparts, you should take a closer look at their main distinguishing features.

How to distinguish edible umbrella mushrooms from poisonous ones

Due to the large number of inedible types of umbrellas and their poisonous counterparts, many mushroom pickers bypass these mushrooms. If you carefully study the photo and description of edible representatives of this species before going to the forest, you can harvest a tasty harvest without risk to life and health.

To distinguish false umbrellas from real ones, you should pay attention to the appearance of the cap, legs and pulp of mushrooms.

How to distinguish a poisonous umbrella from an edible one by a hat

In young umbrella mushrooms, the caps are closed and resemble a dome. As the fruiting body grows, they open up and become like an umbrella.

A wide-open cap and often located plates on the underside give the mushrooms an even greater resemblance to an umbrella.

The cap of adult umbrella mushrooms can reach considerable sizes – up to 35 cm in diameter. This distinctive feature significantly distinguishes them from other twins.

The surface of mushrooms of this species is dry and covered with scales. With strong growth, the skin cracks, forming a translucent fringe.

The surface of the cap is dry, matte, cracks when growing, becoming covered with brownish scales.

Young umbels do not differ in color from adult mushrooms and have the same scales on the surface. But in appearance they bear little resemblance to an umbrella, rather, a small egg on a thin stem.

Young and adult mushroom-umbrella have a different hat shape.

The main difference between poisonous umbrella mushrooms is the color of the plates. In young representatives, it may be white, but in adulthood it becomes dark brown.

The photo below shows the difference between an umbrella and a pale grebe.

The plates of poisonous and real umbrellas differ in color

The color of the dots on the surface will also help determine if the mushroom is an edible or poisonous species. At the umbrella, they are brown, gray or dark beige. Twins are white, with a possible shade of green.

White dots on the cap – a sign of the poisonousness of the fungus

How to distinguish an edible umbrella from a poisonous one by the leg

The legs of a real umbrella and a poisonous double are also different. The thickness and length of the leg corresponds to the dimensions of the surface. The larger it is, the denser and longer the leg. It has a slight thickening at the base and a movable ring at the top.

Poisonous mushrooms can be identified by a tuberous growth in the lower part, resembling a wrapper. In real umbrellas, the stem is smooth, slightly thickened at the level of the soil and at the junction with the cap. Above the ring, the color of the stem is lighter. The rest is yellow-brown, with a scaly coating.

The leg of an adult umbrella has a wide fringed movable ring

When collecting umbrellas in the forest, one should be wary of those specimens whose legs are lighter, smoother and devoid of a brown pattern.

Unlike poisonous twins, the leg of an edible umbrella has a characteristic motley pattern and a movable ring.

How to distinguish an umbrella from a toadstool by pulp

The pulp of edible umbrellas is light with a pleasant smell. When pressed, a clear liquid is released from it. In poisonous twins, the flesh has a repulsive, unpleasant odor and taste of bitterness. For example, rough lepiota, which in appearance is very similar to an edible umbrella, smells of caustic resin. The pulp of the white toadstool exudes a pungent smell of chlorine, which allows you to immediately determine its inedibility and not confuse it with a real umbrella mushroom.

What to do if you ate a poisonous twin of an umbrella mushroom

Poisonous twins, in addition to the listed features, are characterized by significantly smaller sizes.

You can distinguish edible umbrella mushrooms from poisonous ones by watching the video:

If, however, it was not possible to be careful, and poisoning by poisonous counterparts of umbrella mushrooms occurred, it is necessary to act quickly and call a medical team when the first symptoms appear.

The following recommendations will help to provide first aid to the poisoned before the arrival of the ambulance:

1. Activated charcoal and a large amount of water will remove poisoning products from the body and reduce the degree of intoxication.
2. Any emetics and laxatives available in the medicine cabinet will also help to clear the stomach and intestines. Their use should be carried out in strict accordance with the instructions.
3. Exclusion of alcohol intake, which accelerates the absorption of toxic substances into the blood.

If you feel any deterioration in health after eating umbrella mushrooms, you should immediately contact the help of medical staff. The consequences of getting into the body of the poison contained in twin mushrooms can be very severe, even fatal.

Tips from experienced mushroom pickers

The main rule of experienced mushroom pickers – if you’re not sure, don’t take it! It is better to bring home a small harvest than to put life and health at unjustified risk by picking mushrooms, the edibility of which there is even the slightest doubt.

In order not to make a fatal mistake, before going into the forest, you should study reference books, videos and photos of poisonous umbrella mushrooms with a description. Beginning lovers of quiet hunting should also heed the advice of experienced mushroom pickers:

1. Only fresh elastic specimens can be put in the basket, bypassing old, sluggish, dried and rotten mushrooms.
2. Fresh mushrooms smell like champignons, and old, starting to deteriorate umbrellas acquire a fishy smell.
3. You can not pick mushrooms with dark plates. This is a sign of a spoiled umbrella or its poisonous counterpart.
4. Do not take too small and young specimens with an unopened hat. They can be confused with inedible false umbrellas.
5. When collecting representatives of this species, they should be folded separately from other mushrooms so that they do not crumple and crumble.

Suspicious specimens should be left untouched in the forest.

Photo of poisonous umbrella mushrooms

A variety of false twins of umbrella mushrooms is shown in the photo:

Poisonous chlorophyllum is dark brown, more fleshy and short, contains a hallucinogenic toxin

Amanita stinky gives off an unpleasant chlorine smell, is characterized by white legs and hats, covered with a poisonous coating

Lead slag chlorophyllum differs from an edible umbrella in a smooth stem with a fixed ring

Conclusion

A photo of poisonous umbrella mushrooms will help you make the right choice in the forest and collect a delicious harvest without risk to life and health. Many mushroom pickers unfairly bypass these fruiting bodies, mistaking them for pale toadstools. Umbrella is the largest mushroom in central Our Country. And, having learned to distinguish its edible species from poisonous ones, you can discover a new object of quiet hunting, characterized by a pleasant mushroom taste, aroma and impressive size.