Community find

Parasol Mushroom

Macrolepiota procera

Group

gilled mushroom

Spore print

White to pale cream

Size

Cap diameter 10-25 cm; Stipe length 15-40 cm, diameter 1-2 cm.

Season

Generally fruits from late summer to late autumn, following periods of warm and wet weather.

Habitat

Grows in grassy areas, meadows, open woodlands, pastures, and along forest edges. Often found on well-drained soil.

Distribution

Widely distributed throughout Europe, North America, North Africa, and parts of Asia.

Key characteristics

Large white to cream cap covered in coarse, brown, concentric scales with a dark central bump (umbo). The gills are crowded and free from the stem. The stipe is tall, slender, and possesses a double-edged, movable ring.

Fruiting body

Cap starts ovate, expanding to a flat or slightly umbonate shape. Surface is dry with flaky brown scales. Gills are white, free from the stipe, and very crowded. The stipe is long, hollow, and features a snakeskin-like pattern (marmorated) with a bulbous base and a thick, sliding ring.

How to recognise it

Look for the large size, the dark central umbo, the movable ring on the stipe, and the characteristic brown zig-zag or snakeskin pattern on the stem surface.

Look-alikes

Chlorophyllum molybdites (False Parasol) which has a green spore print; Macrolepiota mastoidea which is smaller and more slender; Lepiota species which are typically much smaller and have non-movable rings.

Ecological role

Saprophytic, breaking down organic matter in the soil and grass thatch.

Notes

The genus name Macrolepiota is derived from the Greek 'makros' meaning large and 'lepis' meaning scale. These mushrooms are notable for their impressive height, sometimes reaching over a foot tall, making them some of the tallest gilled mushrooms in the world.