About this fungus
Common Funnel is a fungus in the Tricholomataceae family. Its habitat and field characteristics are summarised below.
A slender pale pinkish-buff to ochre woodland mushroom whose cap becomes deeply funnel-shaped, often retaining a small central boss.
What to check
Look for a dry smooth or finely silky cap, crowded cream gills running well down the stem, and a whitish stem with white mycelial felt at its slightly swollen base. The spore print is white, with no ring or volva.
Variation
Caps range from pinkish tan to pale ochre or yellowish and fade with age. The margin may become wavy or slightly ribbed, while the stem can become hollow.
Lookalikes
Infundibulicybe squamulosa is usually darker, more finely scaly at the cap centre and more strongly associated with conifers. Toxic pale funnels such as Clitocybe phyllophila in woodland and C. rivulosa in grass can overlap in colour. A buff cap and funnel shape alone are not enough to establish identity or edibility.
Habitat and range
Saprotrophic in woodland leaf litter, mainly under broadleaf trees but also under conifers. It is widespread in temperate and boreal Europe and North America, with reports extending into Mexico and Asia.
Food safety
Edible.
Use this profile to learn what to examine and compare, not as proof that a mushroom is safe to eat. Check the whole specimen and every important lookalike before reaching an identification.
Photographs
H. Krisp / CC BY 3.0
James K. Lindsey / CC BY-SA 3.0