Golden chanterelle vs jack-o'-lantern
- Toxic: Jack-o'-Lantern
Chanterelles have blunt forked ridges, white stringy flesh and grow from soil. Jack-o'-lanterns have sharp gills, orange flesh and cluster on wood.
Deadly webcap vs golden chanterelle: the orange lookalike that destroys kidneys
Quick answer
Under the cap, the deadly webcap has true gills that turn rusty cinnamon, a cobweb-like veil on young caps and yellowish veil bands on the stem, and drops a rusty brown print; a golden chanterelle has blunt, forked ridges that run down the stem, no veil, white flesh that tears into strings, and a pale print. The webcap's cap is also conical with a pointed bump, a chanterelle's flat to vase-shaped.
Deadly lookalike
The deadly webcap can be fatal.
Unlike the golden chanterelle, the deadly webcap (Cortinarius rubellus) contains orellanine, which destroys the kidneys. First Nature records that the first symptoms are usually delayed by two or three days, then flu-like symptoms, headache and vomiting, followed by kidney failure. In an Estonian series of seven orellanine poisonings, first symptoms could appear up to three weeks after the meal; six patients needed dialysis, and ten months later three were still on it.
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
Cortinarius rubellus
Photo coming
Deadly
The tellOrange-brown, pointed cap, rusty brown gills, and yellowish bands of veil on the stem, in mossy conifer woods.
Edible
The tellEgg-yolk yellow to orange vase with blunt, forked ridges instead of true gills.
How they differ
| Feature | Deadly Webcap | Golden Chanterelle |
|---|---|---|
| Underside | Deadly WebcapTrue gills, fairly widely spaced, yellowish brown then rusty cinnamon. | Golden ChanterelleBlunt, shallow, forked ridges running down the stem. |
| Veil | Deadly WebcapA cobweb-like veil on young caps; yellowish bands on the stem. | Golden ChanterelleNone. |
| Cap shape | Deadly WebcapConical to bell-shaped with a pointed central bump. | Golden ChanterelleFlat to vase-shaped with a wavy edge. |
| Spore print | Deadly WebcapRusty brown. | Golden ChanterelleWhite to pale yellow or pinkish buff. |
| Flesh | Deadly WebcapPale yellowish to orange-brown. | Golden ChanterelleWhite to pale yellow, tearing into strings. |
| Habitat | Deadly WebcapWet conifer forests with spruce and pine, in moss or bogs. | Golden ChanterelleHardwood and mixed forests in the East; conifer and oak forests in the West. |
FAQ
Common questions
Has the deadly webcap been mistaken for chanterelles?
Yes. First Nature records that its orange cap has led people to mistake it for chanterelles, including author Nicholas Evans and three family members, who suffered serious kidney damage in Scotland.
How long does orellanine poisoning take to appear?
First symptoms are usually delayed by two or three days and can take up to three weeks, which makes the mushroom easy to overlook as the cause.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Cortinarius rubellus, Deadly Webcap
First Nature
- Cantharellus "cibarius" (golden chanterelles)
MushroomExpert.com
- Renal impairment caused by orellanine poisoning: case reports and a literature review
Eesti Arst (Estonian Medical Journal)
- Chanterelles
Missouri Department of Conservation
Keep checking
Read both pages in full
- More on the deadly webcap
- More on the golden chanterelle
- 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
False chanterelle vs golden chanterelle
False chanterelles have thin, crowded, forked true gills and soft flesh. Golden chanterelles have blunt ridges and white flesh that tears into strings.
Cortinarius rubellus
Photo coming
Deadly galerina vs deadly webcap
- Deadly Galerina
- Deadly Webcap
Both are deadly and print rusty brown. The galerina grows on wood with a ring; the webcap grows from conifer moss with a cobweb veil.
Waitlist
Hear when it opens
We will send one email when Mushrooms.id opens, and nothing else.
Email us to join
This opens your email app with the request written for you. Send it and we add you to the list. No email app? Write to hello@mushrooms.id with the subject “Add me to the Mushrooms.id waitlist”.