Grisette

Grisette is a common, medium-sized, gilled mushroom. It occurs in Europe, Japan, eastern Australia, North America, Mexico, and Central America. In the United States and southern Canada, it occurs east of the Great Plains and in the Pacific Northwest. It is relatively common in eastern Minnesota. It is found in the summer and fall, alone, scattered, or close together but not clustered (gregarious), in deciduous and mixed woodlands. It grows on the ground near trees. It has a mutually beneficial relationship (mycorrhizal) with the tiny rootlets of hardwood and coniferous trees, absorbing sugars and amino acids while helping the tree absorb water.

The cap is oval, gray to grayish-brown, and sticky at first. As it ages it spreads out, becoming broadly convex. The mature cap is 1¼″ to 4″ (3 to 10 mm) in diameter and flat, often with a raised bump in the middle (umbonate). It is usually darker, often very dark, in the middle. The margins are prominently lined or grooved (striate), the grooves extending inward ⅜″ (1 cm) or more. The surface is dry but becomes slightly slimy when wet. There are sometimes a few scattered white to grayish patches, remnants of the universal veil, clinging to the cap.

The stalk is 2¾″ to 6″ (7 to 15 cm) long, 3⁄16″ to ¾″ (5 to 20 mm) thick, and slightly tapered to the top. It is slender, fragile, white, and often covered with grayish or grayish-brown scales. There is no ring. The base is loosely enclosed in a cup-like sac (volva) that is the persistent remains of the universal veil. The volva is white and often develops grayish or rust-colored blemishes.

The gills are closely spaced to nearly crowded and are narrowly attached to the stalk (adnate) or not attached (free). They are white or tinged with gray. There are secondary, short gills between the main gills. These are plentiful but unevenly distributed.

The flesh is thin, white, and soft. It does not discolor when sliced. Unlike most Amanitas, it is edible. However, eating it is strongly discouraged due to its similarity to highly poisonous species.

The spore print is white.

Tawny Grisette (Amanita fulva) cap is orangish-brown to tawny or tan. There are no short gills.

Woodlands.

Hardwood and coniferous trees.

Summer and fall

Sources

24, 26, 29, 77.

Biodiversity occurrence data published by: Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas (accessed through the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas Portal, bellatlas.umn.edu, 7/26/2025).

This map includes observations listed on iNaturalist,org on 8/3/2023, before they were removed (light green on the map).

Beginning 7/1/2024, iNaturalist.org stopped recognizing any fungi observations under the name Amanita vaginata. Observations under that name and several names are now placed under the Section Vaginatae of Subgenus Amanita of Genus Amanita. They are not assigned to any species. Section Vaginatae also contains many other fungi which do retain their species name, including the famliar Tawny Grisette (Amanita fulva). As a consequence, iNaturalist.org is no longer a source for the distribution of those now unnamed species.

Ambiguous name applied in iNaturalist to many species worldwide of section Vaginatae. Until the concept is fixed and typified, this name shouldn't be used.

iNaturalist may have acted precipitously, in essence deleting numerous observations of numerous observers before the concept became “fixed and typified.”.

sprouted from the ground in a heavy wooded area. Dominantly burr oak and red oak. The specific area was a large pile of fallen trees, branches and brush that had been piled in the woods for years but was cleared earlier this summer to make way for a food plot which has been growing for better than a month. All of them are growing individually. First sighting was yesterday 8/1. As of today 8/2 all of the domes have flattened and it appears that the deer have eaten several as well. In all there was between 8-12 that I could find. Today I also found a few more that are just starting to pop out of the ground.

… I was only able to find a small handful of them today. It appears that most have been eaten by animals as I found several that were bitten off half way down the stem and the top of the stem with cap laying beside it. In any event, I did find a good example and I removed it from the ground by accident while lightly trying to brush away the soil around the base. …

This is a sample of what I am finding today. Some is new growth and some have clearly been chomped on. …

They are beautiful in their own way!

What's That Fungus? - Amanita vaginata
KY Forest Health

How to identify Amanita Vaginata (Grisette) mushroom?
Alper Derya

Amanita vaginata
herbs & mushrooms

Location: St. Cloud, MN (Benton County)

… I was only able to find a small handful of them today. It appears that most have been eaten by animals as I found several that were bitten off half way down the stem and the top of the stem with cap laying beside it. In any event, I did find a good example and I removed it from the ground by accident while lightly trying to brush away the soil around the base. …

Location: St. Cloud, MN (Benton County)

sprouted from the ground in a heavy wooded area. Dominantly burr oak and red oak. The specific area was a large pile of fallen trees, branches and brush that had been piled in the woods for years but was cleared earlier this summer to make way for a food plot which has been growing for better than a month. All of them are growing individually. First sighting was yesterday 8/1. As of today 8/2 all of the domes have flattened and it appears that the deer have eaten several as well. In all there was between 8-12 that I could find. Today I also found a few more that are just starting to pop out of the ground.

Location: Westwood Nature Center, St Louis Park MN

They are beautiful in their own way!

Location: Westwood Nature Center, St Louis Park MN