FungiFindFungiFind
Search species

    FungiFind › Mushroom species

    Chlorophyllum brunneum

    Chlorophyllum brunneum (Farlow & Burt) Vellinga · Agaricaceae

    ☠ Poisonous

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

    Identification in 5 steps

    Chlorophyllum brunneum
    Photo: J.M.Garg · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Chlorophyllum brunneum is a large parasol mushroom with a brown, scaly cap and a movable ring. It often grows in gardens and on verges and causes gastrointestinal upset.

    SeasonJuly to October
    Spore printwhite
    FamilyAgaricaceae
    1. Cap. The cap is 5 to 15 cm wide, brown with darker scales on a paler ground.
    2. Underside. The gills are free, whitish, brownish with age.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is slender, brownish, with a movable, double ring. There is no volva.
    4. Smell and taste. The smell is faintly mushroomy to unpleasant. Never taste it.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is white and does not change colour, or only slightly.

    Lookalikes

    A large parasol like the parasol mushroom, but poisonous; it can be told safely from edible relatives only under the microscope or by its spore print.

    Side by side

    Chlorophyllum brunneumChlorophyllum venenatumGreen-spored parasolParasol mushroom
    Capbrown scaly, 5 to 15 cmbrown scaly, 8 to 20 cmpale brown scaly, 5 to 20 cmbrown scaly, up to 40 cm
    Undersidewhitish gillswhitish gillswhitish gillswhite gills
    Stemslender, double ringmore slender stem, ringring, slender stemslender, movable ring, snakeskin
    Fleshwhitish, firmwhitishwhitishfirm
    EdibilityPoisonouspoisonouspoisonousedible

    Habitat & Season

    Nutrient-rich, humus-rich soils. Mainly lower altitudes.

    Host trees

    No tree partner; gardens, parks, compost, verges.

    Season

    possible good main season

    Late summer, often in gardens.

    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 it. If you suspect someone has eaten it, call the emergency number and the poison centre 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, except single specimens for identification.

    Poisoning

    ToxinUnknown toxins; heat-stable gastrointestinal irritants are assumed.
    SyndromeGastrointestinal syndrome.
    SymptomsNausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhoea, sometimes dizziness.
    OnsetUsually within a few hours of the meal.
    What to do now: This is an emergency, even if there are no symptoms yet. Go to a hospital immediately or call 999 / 112 and the poison centre (NHS 111, England). Do not wait to see whether symptoms appear, and do not be misled by an apparent improvement. Do not induce vomiting. Keep leftover mushrooms, cleaning scraps and vomit, and tell everyone who shared the meal.

    Frequently asked questions

    Is Chlorophyllum brunneum edible?

    No, it is poisonous and can cause severe gastrointestinal upset.

    How does it differ from the parasol mushroom?

    The parasol mushroom grows larger and has a typical snakeskin pattern on the stem. If in doubt, leave it out and check the spore print.

    What should I do if I suspect poisoning?

    Call the emergency number and the poison centre; have fluids given.

    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