Beware the Fool’s Funnel
Experienced foragers often say, if you want to familiarise yourself with only a few mushrooms, it’s always best to recognise the deadly ones! Wise words indeed.
The Fool’s Funnel (Clitocybe rivulosa aka C.dealbata) is one of the more common poisonous species to be found in the UK, as well as in Europe and North America. It appears, alarmingly enough, in some very ‘people orientated’ places such as lawns, parks, road sides etc; in sandy soil, during late summer to late autumn.
The toxic culprit here is muscarine (found in many other poisonous fungi), and with a good dose it can cause some very unpleasant symptoms, and in some cases – death. So it goes without saying, don’t be too hasty in picking these innocent looking mushrooms. Here’s what to look out for:
Although not that large (around 4-6cm when mature), they often grow in small to medium groups and sometimes partial or full rings in grass. One of the largest partial rings I found were right in the middle of a local park.
The cap is powdered white often with concentric rings or blotch marks which show the darker buff coloured flesh beneath (or even cracking, depending on condition). This is a good identification marker to note. The shape is initially rounded but it soon flattens out, usually developing the common ‘funnel shape’ and the margin remains slightly inrolled.
I stipulated on my mushroom identification page that there are no ‘golden rules’ or ‘one tip fits all’ in identifying different species, but if you want a good rule, then always be extremely wary of white gilled mushrooms. Several deadly species have white gills, but then again they can also have different coloured gills! So I guess what I’m trying to say is – ‘If you don’t know it, then don’t eat it‘ – simple. (I’m not sure if that was pointless and wasted paragraph! But there you go…)
In this case (typical for a funnel mushroom) the white/whitish-buff gills run decurrently down the stem (which share the same colour as the cap). They are quite crowded and turn more buff coloured as the fungi ages.
Last but not least; the flesh, if crushed between the fingers, will deliver a ‘sweetish’ smell, but I’d advise you wash or wipe your hands afterwards, and make sure you’re not tempted to a little nibble!

Clitocybe rivulosa where the white powder surface has faded to reveal the darker flesh beneath. In this case, it has a ‘cracked’ appearance.

Notice the markings here on the cap surface of these slightly younger examples. Typical trait of the Fools Funnel.
QUICK ID TABLE: FOOLS FUNNEL Clitocybe rivulosa / C.dealbata |
CAP / FLESH 3-6cm diameter. Initially convex, then flattened out, often funnel shaped. Powdered white, often with concentric or buff flesh markings. Flesh is buff; smells sweet. STEM 2-4 x 0.5-1cm; similar colouring as cap. Often slightly woolly at the base. GILLS / SPORE PRINT White/Whitish-buff, decurrent and crowded. HABITAT / SEASON In small-medium groups, full or partial rings in grass of gardens, parks, roadsides, path edges (sandy soil). Summer – autumn. EDIBILITY Deadly poisonous. Contains muscarine. |
Hi John
Yes its thanks to your excellent book, that I now feel confident (but not too confident), about what I bring home.
Unfortunately my wife has also read your book, so will not eat the mushrooms I bring home for her. :-)
Kind regards
JohnB
Great stuff. You’ll just have to make mushroom soup instead! Still, I don’t think she’d trust you. lol
Hi there,
Can you tell me whether the Fool’s Funnel mushroom is a native British mushroom or whether it was brought here from America. please?
Very good question – but one I unfortunately don’t know the answer to. Fungi and fungi spores have moved from one place to another via human travel/intervention. I do know that Cauliflower Fungus (Sparassis crispa) settled in the UK after soldiers returning after World War I, brought spores back (from the mud on their boots) from the battlefields in France. If anyone out there does know, it would be interesting to hear…
It certainly would. But thank you so much.