FungiFindFungiFind
Search species

    FungiFind › Mushroom species

    Flat-top agaricus

    Agaricus placomyces Peck · Agaricaceae

    ☠ Poisonous

    Where is it growing now? Open the map Mushroom alert for this species How the mushroom alert works

    Identification in 5 steps

    Flat-top agaricus
    Photo: weiliiiiiii · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    The flat-top agaricus has a whitish cap with grey to blackish-brown scales and a dark centre. It smells of ink or phenol and causes stomach and gut upset.

    SeasonJuly to October
    Spore printchocolate brown
    FamilyAgaricaceae
    1. Cap. The cap is 5 to 9 cm wide, whitish with cold grey-brown scales and a dark centre; it yellows when pressed.
    2. Underside. The gills are free, crowded, pink when young, later brown to black.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is white with a hanging ring; it yellows strongly when rubbed and then turns brown, and has no volva.
    4. Smell and taste. It smells of ink, iodoform or phenol.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is white, with slight yellowing in the stem base.

    Lookalikes

    Poisonous like the yellow stainer; the European mushroom is correctly called Agaricus moelleri.

    Habitat & Season

    Nutrient-rich, rather calcareous soils. Mainly lower elevations.

    Host trees

    Broadleaf and mixed woods, parks.

    Season

    possible good main season

    Late summer.

    Mushroom regions with a daily forecast

    There are no records per region for this species yet. The country pages lead to all regions with a daily forecast.

    All mushroom regions →

    Safety

    Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Poisonous mushroom: do not eat. If you suspect anyone has eaten it, call the poison emergency service immediately.

    Advice for your country

    United Kingdom

    Poison centre:

    NHS 111 (England)111

    Emergency: 999 · 112

    Ireland

    Poison centre:

    National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166

    Emergency: 112 · 999

    Germany

    Poison centre:

    Giftnotruf Berlin030 19240Giftinformationszentrum München089 19240GIZ-Nord Göttingen0551 19240

    Emergency: 112

    Mushroom advice: DGfM: find a mushroom expert. Certified mushroom experts of the German Mycological Society (DGfM).

    Collecting rules: Mushrooms that are not specially protected may be collected in small quantities for personal use unless a protected area or ban applies. Certain specially protected edible species (e.g. cep, chanterelle, birch bolete) may be collected in small quantities for personal use.

    Austria

    Poison centre:

    Vergiftungsinformationszentrale (VIZ)01 406 43 43

    Emergency: 112 · 144

    Mushroom advice: Austrian Mycological Society (ÖMG): mushroom advice. Mushroom advice by the Austrian Mycological Society or regional services such as municipal market offices.

    Collecting rules: At most 2 kg of mushrooms per person per day unless the forest owner has prohibited collecting; organised collecting events are prohibited. Additional state rules apply (collecting hours, closed seasons), e.g. Carinthia, Tyrol, Vorarlberg, Salzburg.

    Conservation and collecting rules

    Not specially protected.

    Salzburg: collecting poisonous mushrooms is banned.

    Red List Germany: Least concern

    Poisoning

    ToxinPhenol-like compounds as in the yellow stainer.
    SyndromeGastrointestinal syndrome.
    SymptomsNausea, vomiting, diarrhoea; not everyone reacts.
    OnsetA few hours.
    What to do now: Call the poison centre immediately (NHS 111, England) and, in case of severe symptoms, the emergency number 999 / 112. Do not induce vomiting and do not give milk or salt water. Keep leftover mushrooms, trimmings and vomit for identification, and inform everyone who ate with you, because they should also be examined.

    Frequently asked questions

    Flat-top agaricus: is it edible?

    No, it is poisonous. Poisonous like the yellow stainer; the European mushroom is correctly called Agaricus moelleri. If you suspect poisoning, call the poison centre immediately (numbers for your country below).

    Flat-top agaricus: when and where does it grow?

    In central Europe the season runs from July to October. Late summer. Tree partners and habitat: Broadleaf and mixed woods, parks. Soil: Nutrient-rich, rather calcareous soils. Elevation: Mainly lower elevations.

    Flat-top agaricus: what are the lookalikes?

    The most important distinction is from Yellow stainer (Agaricus xanthodermus, poisonous): Also poisonous; smooth white cap. Other lookalikes: Blushing wood mushroom, Field mushroom.

    Related species

    Open the mushroom map Mushroom trainer: test yourself

    Sources

    Photo credits

    No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.

    Open the mushroom map