About this fungus
Reindeer Shield is a fungus in the Pluteaceae family. Its habitat and field characteristics are summarised below.
A brown shield mushroom on dead wood, with a silky or radial cap surface and free gills that mature pink.
What to check
Confirm the pink spore print, free gills, bare stem and decaying wood. Microscopy should examine metuloid pleurocystidia, cheilocystidia and clamp connections.
Variation
Caps vary from smooth-looking to clearly fibrillose and can become paler as they dry.
Lookalikes
Classical field methods may not securely separate it from Pluteus cervinus and related species.
Habitat and range
A boreal to subarctic Eurasian species, with records extending into northern forest regions. Regional identity matters.
Food safety
Inedible.
Photographs
Photo: Jakke Elonen · CC BY-SA 4.0Species to compare
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