Livid Pinkgill

Entoloma sinuatum

Family: Entolomataceae

Also called: Livid Pinkgill, Livid Entoloma, Lead Poisoner

Livid Pinkgill (Entoloma sinuatum)
Photo:No machine-readable author provided. Archenzo assumed (based on copyright claims).(CC BY-SA 3.0)View original source →

Overview

Responsible for some of the worst non-fatal mushroom poisonings in Europe. Pale cap, gills pink at maturity (white when young — dangerous), mealy smell. Oak and beech woods on heavy soils. Routinely confused with St George's Mushroom (Calocybe gambosa) and the Miller (Clitopilus prunulus).

Edibility
Toxic
Rarity
uncommon
Trophic mode
mycorrhizal
Typical peak
Sep

Season

Aug–Oct — typical fruiting months: Aug, Sep, Oct.

Host trees & substrate

  • Mycorrhizal with oak
  • Mycorrhizal with beech

Toxic lookalikes

  • St George's Mushroom (Calocybe gambosa)deadly

    Spring fruiting; Entoloma sinuatum is autumn. Never collect either without spore-print confirmation — Entoloma spores pink, Calocybe spores white.

Where it grows

See live fruiting predictions for Livid Pinkgill on the forecast home page, or browse the full field guide.

Always confirm wild-mushroom identification with multiple sources and a knowledgeable local expert before consuming. Read the foraging safety guide.