Deadly galerina vs honey mushroom
- Deadly Galerina
Spore prints differ: honey mushrooms print white, the deadly galerina prints rusty brown. Galerina is also smaller, with a smooth brown cap.
Deadly galerina vs yellowfoot: small brown mushrooms of mossy woods
Quick answer
Yellowfoot has false gills, blunt and forked, that run down a hollow yellow stem, and drops a whitish print; the deadly galerina has sharp true gills that turn rusty brown, a thin ring or ring zone on a brownish stem, and drops a rusty brown print. Both turn up in mossy, rotting-wood habitat in fall.
Deadly lookalike
The deadly galerina can be fatal.
Unlike yellowfoot, 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
Deadly
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.
Edible
The tellSmall brown funnel cap over grayish false gills and a hollow yellow-orange stem.
How they differ
| Feature | Deadly Galerina | Yellowfoot |
|---|---|---|
| Underside | Deadly GalerinaSharp true gills, yellowish then rusty brown. | YellowfootBlunt, forked false gills running down the stem, grayish to pale yellowish. |
| Stem | Deadly GalerinaBrownish, with a thin ring or ring zone. | YellowfootHollow, yellow to orange-yellow, often flattened or grooved; no ring. |
| Cap | Deadly GalerinaConvex, then flat or with a low bump. | YellowfootFunnel-shaped, often with a hole into the hollow stem, and a wavy edge. |
| Spore print | Deadly GalerinaRusty brown. | YellowfootWhitish to pale cream. |
| Where it grows | Deadly GalerinaRotting conifer and hardwood logs and stumps, sometimes wood chips or moss over buried wood. | YellowfootMoss-covered soil and well-rotted conifer wood, often in large troops. |
FAQ
Common questions
Does yellowfoot have gills?
It has blunt, forked false gills, like other chanterelle relatives. The galerina has true gills.
Where do yellowfoot and deadly galerina grow?
Both turn up in mossy, rotting-wood habitat in fall. Yellowfoot grows on moss-covered soil and well-rotted conifer wood, often in large troops; the deadly galerina grows on rotting conifer and hardwood logs and stumps, sometimes on wood chips or moss over buried wood.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Galerina marginata
MushroomExpert.com
- Craterellus tubaeformis
MushroomExpert.com
- Galerina marginata, deadly galerina (Mushrooms Up!)
Beaty Biodiversity Museum, University of British Columbia
- Amatoxin: The Deadliest of All Mushroom Poisonings
Bay Area Mycological Society
Keep checking
Read both pages in full
- More on the deadly galerina
- More on the yellowfoot
- 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
Big laughing gym vs deadly galerina
- Toxic: Big Laughing Gym
- Deadly Galerina
Both are rusty-spored clusters on wood. The big laughing gym is large and orange-yellow; the deadly galerina is small and honey-brown, with amatoxins.
Brick cap vs deadly galerina
- Deadly Galerina
Brick caps print purple-brown and have brick-red caps; the deadly galerina prints rusty brown and is smaller and honey-brown. Both cluster on wood.
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