Parasol mushroom vs shaggy parasol
The parasol has a tall snakeskin-patterned stem and flesh that stays white. The shaggy parasol has a smooth stem and flesh that turns orange-red.
Deadly dapperling vs shaggy parasol: small, scaly and deadly
Quick answer
A cap rarely over 2 inches and only a faint, cottony ring zone mark the deadly dapperling; the shaggy parasol has a cap 3 to 8 inches across, a thick, double-edged ring that slides on the stem, an abrupt bulb at the base, and flesh that turns orange to red when cut. Both print white and both grow in gardens and lawns.
Deadly lookalike
The deadly dapperling can be fatal.
Unlike the shaggy parasol, the deadly dapperling (Lepiota subincarnata) contains amatoxins, which stop protein production by blocking the enzyme RNA polymerase II. The University of British Columbia's Mushrooms Up! guide records abdominal pain, vomiting and watery diarrhea 6 to 12 hours (up to 36 hours) after eating; the symptoms ease after about a day, then return around 72 hours with signs of liver failure, and in fatal cases death follows 7 to 10 days after the first symptoms. In 1988 a man near Vancouver died after eating lawn mushrooms he took for fairy ring mushrooms.
If someone has eaten a wild mushroom and feels unwell, or may have eaten one of these, call poison control now: 1-800-222-1222 in the US. Do not wait for symptoms.
Side by side
The tell for each
Lepiota subincarnata
Photo coming
Deadly
The tellSmall pale cap broken into concentric pinkish brown scales, white free gills, and a white spore print.
Edible, upsets some people
The tellCoarse, shaggy brown scales on a pale cap, a smooth stem with an abrupt bulb, and flesh that turns orange to red when cut.
How they differ
| Feature | Deadly Dapperling | Shaggy Parasol |
|---|---|---|
| Cap size | Deadly Dapperling0.75 to 2 inches (2 to 5 cm). | Shaggy Parasol3 to 8 inches (7.5 to 20 cm). |
| Ring | Deadly DapperlingA faint, cottony ring zone. | Shaggy ParasolA thick, double-edged movable ring. |
| Cut flesh | Deadly DapperlingThin and whitish. | Shaggy ParasolTurns orange to red, especially in the stem. |
| Cap scales | Deadly DapperlingSmall concentric pinkish brown scales. | Shaggy ParasolCoarse, shaggy, upturned brown scales. |
| Spore print | Deadly DapperlingWhite. | Shaggy ParasolWhite. |
FAQ
Common questions
Do the deadly dapperling and the shaggy parasol grow in the same places?
They can. Both turn up in gardens, lawns and landscaped beds with rich soil or leaf litter.
What is a dapperling?
A common name for small Lepiota species. Several, including Lepiota subincarnata, contain the same amatoxins as the death cap.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Lepiota subincarnata, deadly parasol (Mushrooms Up!)
Beaty Biodiversity Museum, University of British Columbia
- Chlorophyllum rhacodes
MushroomExpert.com
- Amatoxin: The Deadliest of All Mushroom Poisonings
Bay Area Mycological Society
Keep checking
Read both pages in full
- More on the deadly dapperling
- More on the shaggy parasol
- Not sure it is either? Narrow it down with the identification key
This page states what field guides record. It is not advice to eat, taste or handle anything, and a photo cannot settle edibility. If someone has eaten a wild mushroom that may be toxic, call poison control (1-800-222-1222 in the US) right away, before symptoms start: the deadliest species act hours later.
More comparisons
Green-spored parasol vs shaggy parasol
- Toxic: Green-Spored Parasol
Spore prints differ: the green-spored parasol prints green and its gills age gray-green. The shaggy parasol prints white and keeps white gills.
Lepiota subincarnata
Photo coming
Deadly dapperling vs fairy ring mushroom
- Deadly Dapperling
The deadly dapperling has a scaly pinkish cap, crowded white gills and a banded stem. Fairy ring mushrooms have a smooth tan cap and spaced gills.
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