How to identify Silky Pinkgill

To correctly identify Silky Pinkgill (Entoloma sericeum), 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.

   Silky, smooth, and light-colored (white, gray, or tan). Convex to flattened, often with a central bump (umbo).

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   Pink, closely spaced, and adnate to slightly decurrent.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   Cylindrical, smooth, and the same color as the cap or slightly lighter.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   White to pale pink, thin.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   Small to medium-sized mushroom with a silky cap and pink gills.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Grasslands, meadows, and lawns.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Silky, smooth

Growth Form

Solitary or scattered

Spore Print

Pink

Body color

White, gray, or tan

Odor

Mild, fungal

Flesh bruises

Does not typically bruise

Height

3-8 cm

Cap Diameter

2-6 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: Adnate to slightly decurrent
• Stem shape: Cylindrical
• Stem surface: Smooth or slightly fibrillose
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: Solid

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