Deadly galerina vs shiitake: a deadly mushroom that grows on hardwood logs

Quick answer

Shiitake drops a white spore print; the deadly galerina drops a rusty brown one. Galerina is also smaller and smoother, with a thin ring and gills that turn rusty brown, while shiitake has a tan to dark brown cap with whitish fibers near the inrolled edge, white gills with ragged edges and a tough, fibrous stem.

Deadly lookalike

The deadly galerina can be fatal.

Unlike shiitake, the deadly galerina (Galerina marginata) contains amatoxins, the same toxins as the death cap, at similar concentrations, according to the University of British Columbia's Mushrooms Up! guide. Amatoxins stop cells from making proteins by blocking the enzyme RNA polymerase II. The Bay Area Mycological Society records that symptoms usually begin 6 to 24 hours after eating, followed by an apparent recovery and then liver damage from about 72 hours. Cooking does not destroy amatoxins.

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

A single deadly galerina with an orange-brown cap and gills, leaning over gray slate fragments
Deadly
Deadly GalerinaGalerina marginata

The tellSmall honey-brown caps in clusters on rotting wood, with rusty brown gills, a thin ring on the stem, and a rusty brown spore print.

A shiitake with a brown cap cracked into white patches, growing from a fallen log
Edible
ShiitakeLentinula edodes

The tellA brown cap with whitish fibers at the edge, white gills with ragged edges, and a tough, fibrous stem.

How they differ

Differences between the deadly galerina and the shiitake
FeatureDeadly GalerinaShiitake
Spore printDeadly GalerinaRusty brown.ShiitakeWhite.
CapDeadly GalerinaHoney-brown to tawny, smooth and slightly sticky when moist, fading to tan as it dries.ShiitakeTan to dark brown, often with whitish fibers or small scales near the inrolled edge.
GillsDeadly GalerinaYellowish at first, then rusty brown.ShiitakeWhite to cream with finely ragged edges, bruising brownish.
StemDeadly GalerinaThin and brownish, with a thin ring or ring zone.ShiitakeTough and fibrous, whitish to light brown, often off-center; faint veil remnants when young.
SizeDeadly GalerinaCap 0.5 to 1.5 inches (1 to 4 cm).ShiitakeCap 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm).
Where it growsDeadly GalerinaRotting conifer and hardwood logs and stumps, sometimes wood chips or moss over buried wood.ShiitakeNot native; on cultivated hardwood logs and sawdust blocks.

FAQ

Common questions

Can other mushrooms grow on shiitake logs?

Yes. Mississippi State University Extension notes that log contamination is common and that other fungi growing on inoculated logs should not be treated as shiitake. The deadly galerina grows on decaying hardwood and conifer wood, and shiitake logs are hardwood, mostly oak.

What color is a shiitake spore print?

White. A small brown mushroom on a log that drops a rusty brown print is not shiitake.

Sources

Where these facts come from

  1. Galerina marginata

    MushroomExpert.com

  2. Shiitake Production on Hardwood Logs

    Mississippi State University Extension Service

  3. Galerina marginata, deadly galerina (Mushrooms Up!)

    Beaty Biodiversity Museum, University of British Columbia

Keep checking

Read both pages in full

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.

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