Brown Roll Rims / Summer / Autumn / Toxic

Step into the enchanting realm of Brown Roll Rims, scientifically known as Paxillus involutus, as we delve into the captivating qualities of these intriguing mushrooms.

In this blog post, we embark on a journey to discover the unique characteristics and ecological importance of this species. With their distinct brown caps and rolled edges, Brown Roll Rims offer a subtle beauty that can be appreciated by mushroom enthusiasts and nature lovers alike.

Sadly not edible but something we come across quite literally every walk we go on.

Scientific Name

Paxillus Involutus

Common names

Brown Roll rims, Common roll rim, Poison pax

Family

Paxillaceae

Habitat

Very common in the UK and Europe. They form ectomycorrhizal relationships with both hardwoods and conifers and are most commonly found in late summer and autumn.

Identifying Features:

Cap:

Caps are typically around 6-20 cm in diameter. When young the caps are convex but soon flatten out with a slight depression towards the centre. As the common name suggests they are brown in colour, with faint striations along the cap margin.

Gills:

The gills are pale yellow/brown, crowded and run partway down the stem, when damaged they bruise darker brown. The cap margin is in rolled hence the common name roll rim.

Spores

Brown – Yellowish/Brown

Known hazards

Although this species was eaten in the past and is still apparently consumed in Eastern Europe it was responsible for the death of the German mycologist Julius Schaffer in 1944. It has since been found to cause potentially fatal autoimmune damage by triggering your immune system to attack red blood cells leading to complications such as acute kidney shock and acute respiratory failure.

Potential lookalikes 

Can look like some of the milk cap (Lactarius) species but these all exude a milk-like substance when damaged.

Extra notes from the foragers:

The name derives from Paxillus meaning small stake or peg and Involutus refers to the in rolled cap margin.