Destroying angel vs meadow mushroom
- Deadly: Destroying Angel
Destroying angels keep white gills, print white and hide a cup at the base. Meadow mushrooms have pink to brown gills and a brown print.
Meadow mushroom vs yellow stainer: how to tell them apart
Quick answer
The yellow stainer turns bright chrome yellow within seconds wherever it is scratched or cut, especially in the flesh of the stem base, and smells of ink or phenol; the meadow mushroom does not turn yellow, its flesh may turn slightly pinkish, and it smells pleasant. Old yellow stainers can lose the staining and smell, so a faded specimen can be hard to place.
Toxic lookalike
The yellow stainer is toxic.
Unlike the meadow mushroom, the yellow stainer (Agaricus xanthodermus) is toxic. MykoWeb's California Fungi records that it causes gastrointestinal upsets for most people, though some people report no symptoms, and that its phenol odor grows stronger when heated. The Bay Area Mycological Society describes a rapid onset of gastrointestinal symptoms and lists the toxins as unknown.
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
Edible
The tellWhite cap on a short stem, with bright pink gills that turn chocolate brown, growing in grass.
Toxic lookalike
The tellWhite Agaricus whose cap edge and stem base turn bright chrome yellow within seconds of being scratched or cut, with an ink or phenol smell.
How they differ
| Feature | Meadow Mushroom | Yellow Stainer |
|---|---|---|
| Scratched cap edge | Meadow MushroomNo yellowing. | Yellow StainerBright chrome yellow within seconds, then brownish. |
| Cut stem base | Meadow MushroomWhite, sometimes slightly pinkish. | Yellow StainerChrome yellow immediately. |
| Smell | Meadow MushroomPleasant. | Yellow StainerInk, phenol or creosote. |
| Young gills | Meadow MushroomBright pink. | Yellow StainerWhitish to pink. |
| Ring | Meadow MushroomThin and fragile, often gone. | Yellow StainerThick and skirt-like. |
| Size | Meadow MushroomCap 1 to 4 inches (2.5 to 10 cm), short stem. | Yellow StainerCap 2 to 6 inches (5 to 15 cm), stem 2 to 6 inches. |
FAQ
Common questions
Does the meadow mushroom stain yellow?
No. Its flesh can turn slightly pinkish when cut but not bright yellow. A white Agaricus that turns chrome yellow at the stem base is a yellow stainer or one of its relatives.
Where does the yellow stainer grow?
In lawns, gardens, parks, hedgerows and woodland edges, often in groups or rings. North American records come mainly from California and the Pacific coast, with similar yellow-staining species elsewhere.
Sources
Where these facts come from
- Agaricus campestris
MushroomExpert.com
- Agaricus xanthodermus
MushroomExpert.com
- Toxic Mushrooms
Bay Area Mycological Society
Keep checking
Read both pages in full
- More on the meadow mushroom
- More on the yellow stainer
- 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
Horse mushroom vs yellow stainer
- Toxic: Yellow Stainer
Scratched or cut at the stem base, the yellow stainer turns chrome yellow fast and smells of ink. The horse mushroom yellows slowly and smells of almond.
Horse mushroom vs meadow mushroom
Horse mushrooms are larger, smell of almond, and have a big ring with a cogwheel underside. Meadow mushrooms have bright pink gills and a thin ring.
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”.