Freckled Dapperling

Lepiota aspera

Forest edges, parks, gardens, cemeteries, shady, grassy places. Summer, autumn.

Fruiting bodies large. Cap 8-15 cm across, covered on a yellowish background with pointed, sharp, brownish-brown scales that rub off. Gills white, very crowded, up to 1 cm wide. Stem 5-10x1-2 cm, with a ring, above it white, smooth, below yellowish-brown, fibrous-scaly. Flesh white, soft, with a pleasant smell and taste, up to 1 cm thick, not bitter. Characteristic features: beautiful scaly fruiting bodies growing among grass, reminiscent of a little partridge or even a hedgehog. In some places it is confused with the parasol mushroom, but there is no resemblance whatsoever between them. Grows singly or several or even a dozen or so fruiting bodies together, most often in parks, favouring humus-rich soil. Inedible, slightly poisonous.