Lepiota cristata - Stinking Dapperling

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

Lepiota cristata, the Stinking Dapperling, is one of several small, dapperlings many of which are poisonous. A transient ring and a smell of coal gas are characteristics of this woodland mushroom.

Until recently, dapperlings were more commonly referred to in Britain as parasols; a confusion that may have added to the risk of poisoning, as the large Macrolepiota species, commonly known as parasols, are good edible mushrooms.

Identification guide

	Cap With red-brown scales upon a white background, this attractive dapperling expands from ovoid through convex to flat and eventually concave. Cap diameter at maturity ranges from 2 to 6cm.
	Gills The free, crowded gills are white or cream, darkening with age.
	Stem The stem is almost smooth, pale and with a transient ring. In this picture of the stem of a mature cap, the ephemeral ring is no longer in evidence. Typically 3 to 4mm in diameter, the stem can be up to 4cm tall.
Spore print	White.
Odour/taste	Unpleasant rubbery odour; mild taste.
Habitat	In groups and occasionally solitary in mixed woodland and sometimes in damp, shady gardens.
Season	July to October.
Occurrence	Frequent.
Similar species	Lepiota ignivolvata is very similar in appearance except that it has a bright orange or red-brown ring low down on the stem.