How to identify Sulphur Tuft

To correctly identify Sulphur Tuft (Hypholoma fasciculare), 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 2-6 cm in diameter, initially convex, becoming more flattened with age. The color ranges from sulphur-yellow to orange-brown, often with a darker center. The cap surface is smooth and may have remnants of the partial veil along the margin.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   The gills are crowded, adnate to adnexed, and initially sulphur-yellow, turning greenish-yellow to olive-brown as the spores mature.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   The stem is slender, 4-10 cm long and 0.3-0.8 cm thick, yellowish, and often fibrous. It lacks a true ring, but may have a fibrillose zone near the apex. The stem base is often darker and may be slightly curved.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   The flesh is thin and yellowish, with a bitter taste.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   The fruiting body of Hypholoma fasciculare is characterized by a clustered arrangement of mushrooms growing from the same point on decaying wood.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   Hypholoma fasciculare grows on decaying wood, such as logs, stumps, and branches of deciduous and coniferous trees. It is commonly found in forests and wooded areas.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Smooth

Growth Form

Clustered

Spore Print

Olive-brown

Body color

Yellow to orange-brown

Odor

Unpleasant

Flesh bruises

No significant bruising

Height

4-10 cm

Cap Diameter

2-6 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: Adnate to adnexed
• Stem shape: Cylindrical
• Stem surface: Fibrous
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: Solid

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