Deadly dapperling Lepiota brunneoincarnata
deadly poisonous
It stays small, with a cap usually under 5 cm, and has a pink-brown banded stem with a ring zone.
View on the mapIdentification in 5 steps
The freckled dapperling is a small dapperling with a brown cap and needle-like scales. It is suspected of being poisonous and must not be eaten.
SeasonJuly to October
Spore printwhite
FamilyAgaricaceae
- Cap. The cap is 2 to 5 cm wide, brown, with pointed, erect scales.
- Underside. The gills are white and free, and turn pink with age.
- Stem, ring and volva. The stem is thin and brownish, with a large, membranous, hanging ring that does not slide, and a bulbous volva.
- Smell and taste. It smells unpleasant to metallic; do not taste it.
- Flesh and colour change. The flesh is white and does not change colour.
Lookalikes
It is poisonous and inedible, so do not confuse it with the edible parasol mushroom.
Chlorophyllum venenatum
poisonous
Its stem is smooth and not snakeskin-patterned, the bulb has a sharp rim, and the flesh turns red when cut.
View on the mapParasol mushroom Macrolepiota procera
edible
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It smells pleasantly nutty, and its spore print is white. The freckled dapperling, by contrast, smells unpleasant, of coal gas, and has a hanging ring that does not slide.
View on the mapSide by side
| Freckled dapperling | Deadly dapperling | Chlorophyllum venenatum | Parasol mushroom | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cap | 2 to 5 cm wide, brown, with pointed scales | 2 to 5 cm, red-brown when young, pink-brown scales | 10 to 20 cm, brown scales on a pale background | 10 to 30 cm, drumstick-shaped when young, scales |
| Underside | gills white, free, pink with age | gills white, free, fairly crowded | gills white, free, crowded | gills white, free, crowded, collar at the stem |
| Stem | thin, brownish | short, pink-brown banded, ring zone | smooth, whitish, bulb with a sharp rim | up to 40 cm, slender, snakeskin pattern, double ring |
| Flesh | white, does not change colour | whitish, thin-fleshed | white, turns saffron-red when damaged | white, soft in the cap, stem fibrous |
| Edibility | Inedible | deadly poisonous | poisonous | edible |
Habitat & Season
Humus-rich woodland edges and meadow edges. From the lowlands up to the hills and mountains.
Host trees
Deciduous trees, often beech and oak.
Season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
possible good main season
In deciduous woods and parks.
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.
Safety
Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. Not an edible mushroom: do not collect it for the kitchen.
Advice for your country
Ireland
Poison centre:
National Poisons Information Centre (public line)(01) 809 2166
Emergency: 112 · 999
Germany
Poison centre:
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.
Why it is not edible
Poisonous, inedible.
Smaller than the parasol mushroom; check the ring and volva carefully.
Frequently asked questions
Is the freckled dapperling edible?
No, the freckled dapperling is not edible. It is considered poisonous, so do not confuse it with the edible parasol mushroom.
When and where does the freckled dapperling grow?
The freckled dapperling grows from July to October in deciduous woods and parks, at humus-rich woodland and meadow edges, often under beech and oak.
Which look-alikes can the freckled dapperling be confused with?
You can confuse it with the parasol mushroom, Chlorophyllum venenatum and the deadly dapperling. The parasol mushroom smells pleasantly nutty and has a white spore print, whereas the freckled dapperling smells unpleasant, of coal gas, and has a hanging ring that does not slide. In Chlorophyllum venenatum, the stem is smooth and not snakeskin-patterned, the bulb has a sharp rim, and the flesh turns red when cut. The deadly dapperling stays small, with a cap usually under 5 cm, and its stem is pink-brown banded with a ring zone.
How do you recognise the freckled dapperling?
The spore print is white. The cap is 2 to 5 cm wide, brown, with pointed, erect scales.
Related species
- Deadly dapperling Lepiota brunneoincarnata
- Parasol mushroom Macrolepiota procera
- Field mushroom Agaricus campestris
- Lawyers' wig Coprinus comatus
- Yellow-stainer Agaricus xanthodermus
- Chlorophyllum venenatum Chlorophyllum venenatum
Sources
Photo credits
- Photo: User:Strobilomyces · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Deadly dapperling: Photo: User:Strobilomyces · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Chlorophyllum venenatum: Photo: MM1994 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Parasol mushroom: Photo: Fredy.00 · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.