Poison Pie / Summer / Autumn / Winter / Toxic
The Poison Pie (Hebeloma species) is a group of toxic mushrooms often found in woodlands, grassy areas, and even parklands across the UK. With their smooth, pale-brown caps and cream-coloured gills, they might look like an edible treat to an untrained eye. However, these mushrooms are far from harmless, and consuming them can lead to unpleasant gastrointestinal distress.
Often found growing in small groups or clusters, Poison Pie mushrooms thrive in autumn, blending easily into their surroundings.
For foragers, learning to identify and avoid these toxic fungi is essential. In this post, we’ll explore how to recognise Poison Pie mushrooms, where they grow, and the importance of exercising caution when foraging in the wild.
Scientific Name
Hebeloma
Common Name
Poison pie
Family
Strophariaceae
Habitat and season
Mycorrhizal under broad-leaf and conifer trees, often found in large number and rings. Long season late summer- to early winter
Identifying Features of Poison Pie
Hebeloma is the genus name, there are about 7 individual species all with a similar appearance that as a group are called poison pies. The first 3 are very common
Hebeloma crustuliniforme
Hebeloma velutipes
Hebeloma laterinum
Hebeloma radicosum
Hebeloma pusillum
Hebeloma saccgariolens
Hebeloma theobrominum
Fortunately these mushrooms all have a “look” so it doesn’t take too long to know you have a poison pie which for edibility is all the same as they are all poisonous. These are quite substantial looking mushrooms so will definitely catch the foragers eye.
Cap
Can be variable in texture- slimy, sticky, floccose( wooly fibres). Cream to light ochre in colour, often with a darker centre, 4-11 cm across.Convex at first, flattening out with age turning broadly umbo (raised centre)
Stem:
Central on cap, off white and it has the same mealy/ powdery appearance as the gills. 4-8 cm long and 1-2 cm in diameter, floccose- looking wooly or fibrous . Mostly ring-less except H.radicosum which has skirt remnants.
Gills:
Emarginate gills (notched) and crowded. Lots of intermediate shorter gills. Off Cream later becoming a grey/milky coffee colour . Gills have a powdery/ mottled appearance, especially on the gill edges which are white, unless old.
In some species the gills produce a clear liquid that makes the spores stick in little droplets which can be seen like the Hebeloma crustuliniforme.
Smell:
Radish, earthy odour.
Spores
Grey/ brown spore deposit
Uses for the Poison Pie
As the name suggests these are poisonous mushrooms
Conservation Considerations
Very common
Poison Pie Could Be Confused With…
Easy to recognise once you’ve seen a few, can look similar to light coloured Webcaps
Resources
book- Fungi of temperate Europe