How to identify White Dunce Cap

To correctly identify White Dunce Cap (Conocybe apala), 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.

   Conical to bell-shaped, white to pale cream, smooth surface.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   Free, close, white to pale brown.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   Thin, fragile, white to pale cream, smooth.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   Thin and fragile, white.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   Small and delicate.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Grasslands, lawns, and disturbed soil.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Smooth

Growth Form

Solitary or scattered

Spore Print

Rusty brown

Body color

White to pale cream

Odor

Indistinct

Flesh bruises

No bruising

Height

2-5 cm

Cap Diameter

0.5-2 cm

Fruit body characteristics

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

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