False chanterelle Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca
inedible
It has forked gills.
View on the mapIdentification in 5 steps
The tawny funnel cap is an orange-brown funnel cap that grows in groups, in rows and fairy rings, in coniferous woods. It is edible, but hard to digest in large quantities.
SeasonAugust to November
Spore printwhite to cream
FamilyTricholomataceae
- Cap. The cap is 4 to 10 cm wide, foxy orange-brown, with a funnel-shaped depression.
- Underside. The gills are decurrent, cream to pale orange.
- Stem, ring and volva. The stem is the colour of the cap, slightly paler. There is no ring and no volva.
- Smell and taste. It smells sweetish.
- Flesh and colour change. The flesh is thin and pale.
Lookalikes
Large quantities can be hard to digest; some authors warn against drinking alcohol with it.
Paralepista gilva
edible with restrictions
It is paler and has water-spotted caps.
View on the mapHabitat & Season
Conifer needle litter. From lowland to mountain regions.
Host trees
Mainly coniferous woods.
Season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
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.
Chance near you
How good are the chances of finding this species where you are right now? We calculate it from weather, soil moisture, altitude and forest at your location.
Safety
Never eat a mushroom you have not identified with certainty. For experienced foragers only: follow the restrictions, and if in doubt, do not eat it.
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.
Conservation and collecting rules
Not specially protected.
No species-specific rule known.
Red List Germany: Least concern
In the kitchen
In mixed dishes. Cook thoroughly.
Possible. Do not drink alcohol with it. Small quantities only.
- Never eat wild mushrooms raw, and always cook them for at least 15 minutes.
- Use only young, fresh, maggot-free and reliably identified specimens.
- Carry mushrooms in an airy basket, not in plastic bags, and prepare them the same day.
Frequently asked questions
Tawny funnel cap: is it edible?
Only with restrictions. Large quantities can be hard to digest; some authors warn against drinking alcohol with it. Cook thoroughly.
Tawny funnel cap: when and where does it grow?
The season in central Europe runs from August to November. Tree partner and habitat: Mainly coniferous woods. Soil: Conifer needle litter. Altitude: From lowland to mountain regions.
Tawny funnel cap: what are the lookalikes?
The most important distinction is from False chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, inedible): It has forked gills. Other lookalikes: Paralepista gilva.
Related species
- Blue green anise mushroom Clitocybe odora
- Sordid blewit Lepista sordida
- Dark-scaled knight Tricholoma atrosquamosum
- Grey knight Tricholoma terreum
- Yellowing knight Tricholoma scalpturatum
- Wood blewit Lepista nuda
Sources
- Fuchsiger Rötelritterling (Wikipedia DE)
- GBIF: Paralepista flaccida (Sowerby) Vizzini
- Index Fungorum Record 564347
- Rote-Liste-Zentrum: Großpilze Deutschlands (Dämmrich et al. 2016)
- ÖMG: Pilzschutzbestimmungen in Österreich (Stand 29.01.2021)
- RIS: Forstgesetz 1975 § 174
- DGfM: Giftnotrufe in Deutschland, Europa und der Schweiz
- Gesundheitsportal Österreich: Vergiftung durch Pilze, VIZ 01 406 43 43
Photo credits
- Photo: Michel Langeveld · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- False chanterelle: Photo: Bubulcus, edited by Ak ccm · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
- Paralepista gilva: Photo: Strobilomyces · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
No substitute for having your finds checked in person. No guarantee of accuracy. Updated: 17.10.2026.