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    Frosty funnel

    Clitocybe phyllophila (Pers.) P.Kumm. · Tricholomataceae

    ☠ Poisonous

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    Identification in 5 steps

    Frosty funnel
    Photo: Holger Krisp · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    The frosty funnel is a whitish funnel cap that can contain muscarine. It is poisonous and is mistaken for edible funnel caps.

    SeasonJuly to November
    Spore printwhite
    FamilyTricholomataceae
    1. Cap. The cap is 3 to 8 cm wide, whitish to cream, funnel-shaped.
    2. Underside. The gills are whitish and decurrent.
    3. Stem, ring and volva. The stem is whitish and smooth, with no ring and no volva.
    4. Smell and taste. The smell is faintly mealy. Never taste it.
    5. Flesh and colour change. The flesh is whitish.

    Lookalikes

    A whitish funnel cap with muscarine; fatal confusion with the edible trooping funnel has been documented.

    Side by side

    Frosty funnelClouded funnelFool's funnelTrooping funnel
    Capwhitish, 3 to 8 cmgrey, largewhite, 1 to 3 cmcream, 5 to 15 cm
    Undersidewhitish gillswhitish gillswhite gillswhitish gills
    Stemwhitish, smoothwhitish stemthinclub-shaped base
    Fleshfaint mealy smellmealyfragilepleasant
    EdibilityPoisonouspoisonouspoisonousedible

    Habitat & Season

    Humus-rich soils. Lowlands to low mountain ranges.

    Host trees

    Deciduous trees in woods and parks.

    Season

    possible good main season

    Summer and autumn.

    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

    ToxinMuscarine.
    SyndromeMuscarine syndrome.
    SymptomsSalivation, sweating, nausea, stomach cramps, visual disturbances.
    Onset15 to 30 minutes to a few hours.
    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

    Why is muscarine dangerous?

    It acts on the parasympathetic nervous system and can cause severe circulatory problems.

    How does it differ from the trooping funnel?

    The trooping funnel is larger, cream-coloured and smells more pleasant.

    What should I do if I suspect poisoning?

    Call the emergency number and the poison centre.

    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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