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    Deadly dapperling

    Lepiota brunneoincarnata Chodat & C.Martín · Agaricaceae

    ☠ Deadly poisonous

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    Identification in 5 steps

    Deadly dapperling
    Photo: User:Strobilomyces · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    The deadly dapperling is a small parasol with reddish-brown scales on a pink-brown background and a banded stem. It grows on lawns and in parks and is deadly poisonous.

    SeasonJuly to October
    Spore printwhite
    FamilyAgaricaceae
    1. Cap. The cap is 2 to 5 cm wide, reddish brown when young, later pale pink-brown with darker scales and usually a closed centre.
    2. Underside. The gills are white, free and fairly crowded.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is short, pink-brownish at the top and below banded with dark brown scale rings. Instead of a ring there is only a dark ring zone. There is no volva.
    4. Smell and taste. Do not taste it! It smells slightly fruity.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh turns slightly red when damaged.

    Lookalikes

    Contains amatoxins like the death cap. Never eat small parasols.

    Habitat & Season

    Grassy, nutrient-rich soils. Warmer, lower sites; in Europe more common in the south.

    Host trees

    No tree partner; lawns, parks, gardens, roadsides.

    Season

    possible good main season

    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.

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    Safety

    Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Deadly poisonous: even a single cap can be fatal. If you suspect you ate it, call the emergency number and the poison emergency line 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

    ToxinAmatoxins (alpha-amanitin), heat-stable.
    SyndromePhalloides syndrome (amatoxin syndrome).
    SymptomsFirst vomiting and diarrhoea, then a deceptive improvement and liver failure.
    Onset6 to 24 hours.
    What to do now: This is an emergency, even if you have 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 fooled by an apparent improvement. Do not induce vomiting. Keep mushroom remains, trimmings and vomit, and tell everyone who ate with you.

    Frequently asked questions

    Deadly dapperling: Is it edible?

    No, it is deadly poisonous. Contains amatoxins like the death cap. Never eat small parasols. Even a suspicion that you ate it is an emergency: call the emergency number and the poison centre immediately (numbers for your country below).

    Deadly dapperling: When and where does it grow?

    In Central Europe the season runs from July to October. Partner and habitat: no tree partner; lawns, parks, gardens, roadsides. Soil: grassy, nutrient-rich soils. Altitude: warmer, lower sites; in Europe more common in the south.

    Deadly dapperling: What are its lookalikes?

    The most important one to rule out is the grey knight (Tricholoma terreum, edible with restrictions): it has a grey, felty cap without pink tones and no banded stem. Other lookalikes: parasol mushroom, fairy ring champignon.

    Related species

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    Sources

    Photo credits

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

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