How to identify Golden Bootleg

To correctly identify Golden Bootleg (Bolbitius titubans), check each of these features in order. Misidentification is the most common cause of mushroom poisoning, so cross-reference multiple sources.

Step-by-step identification

1. 1

   Cap

   Shape, color, surface texture, and diameter.

   The cap is typically 1-4 cm in diameter, yellow to ochre, and becomes slimy and translucent as it matures. It often has striations near the margin.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   The gills are free, close, and yellowish, becoming more ochre with age. They are often deliquescent, meaning they dissolve into an inky liquid.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   The stem is slender, fragile, and hollow, typically 3-8 cm long and 2-4 mm thick. It is yellowish to whitish and smooth.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   The flesh is thin and fragile, with a yellowish color.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   The fruiting body is small and delicate, with a conical to convex cap that flattens with age.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   It grows on dung, decaying grass, and other organic matter in fields, lawns, and disturbed areas.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Smooth, slimy when moist

Growth Form

Solitary or scattered

Spore Print

Rusty brown

Body color

Yellow to ochre

Odor

Mild

Flesh bruises

Does not bruise

Height

3-8 cm

Cap Diameter

1-4 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: Free
• Stem shape: Cylindrical
• Stem surface: Smooth
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: Hollow

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