Green-spored Parasol

Green-spored Parasol. also called False Parasol, is a large, common and widespread, poisonous, gilled mushroom. It occurs worldwide in temperate and subtropical areas. In the United States it occurs from New Hampshire to Florida, west to Minnesota and California. It is most common east of the Great Plains. It is found in summer and fall in meadows, gardens, lawns, and other grassy areas. It grows on the ground, alone, scattered, or in groups but not clustered (gregarious). It often appears in large fairy rings. It obtains its nutrients from decaying organic material (saprobic).

When it first appears, the cap is white and oval to almost spherical. The upper surface is dry and smooth. As it ages the cap expands and the upper surface breaks up into scales. Mature caps are broadly convex or almost flat, sometimes with a raised bump in the middle (umbonate). They can be 2″ to 15¾″ (5 to 40 cm) in diameter but are usually no more than 8½″ (22 cm) in diameter. The scales are light brown to brown or pinkish-brown, flat or curled upward at the edges, and concentrated toward the center. Between the scales the surface is white and covered with fine hair-like fibers (fibrillose). The cap does not change color when sliced.

The gills are broad and closely spaced to crowded. They are not attached to the stalk (free), or are only slightly attached. They are white at first, becoming grayish to greenish as the spores mature. Between the main gills there are frequent short gills.

The stalk is firm, smooth, white to brownish, 3″ to 8″ (8 to 20 cm) long, and ⅝″to 1⅛″ (1.5 to 3.0 cm) thick. It is slightly narrowed toward the top and slightly enlarged toward the bottom. It stains light grayish-brown when handled. Near the top of the stalk there is a persistent, thick, two-layered, ring of tissue, the remains of the partial veil. The ring is white at first but becomes brown and scaly at maturity. The he stalk stains reddish-brown to pale pinkish just near the base when sliced.

The flesh is white, and thick in the center, becoming thin at the margins. It is firm on young caps, becoming soft in age. It is poisonous.

The spore print is dull grayish-green.

Meadows, gardens, lawns, and other grassy areas

Summer and fall

According to an article published by the chairman of the North American Mycological Association in 2004, Green-spored Parasol is by far the most commonly consumed mushroom that is generally considered poisonous in North America. It grows in lawns and parks, it has a good flavor, and it resembles the edible mushroom Chlorophyllum rhacodes. Unwary collectors who consume one of these mushrooms can expect to quickly undergo gastric distress, vomiting, and several hours of diarrhea.

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