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Hypholoma lateritium, commonly known as brick caps, are edible mushrooms found in clusters on decaying wood. They have a reddish-brown cap and yellowish stem. While edible, they can be confused with poisonous species, so careful identification is crucial.
How to Identify
- Cap
- 2-8 cm in diameter, convex to flattened, reddish-brown to brick-red, smooth, and often with a slightly wavy margin.
- Gills
- Crowded, adnate to adnexed, starting yellowish and turning grayish-brown to purplish-brown as they mature.
- Stem
- 4-10 cm long, 0.5-1.5 cm thick, yellowish, often with reddish-brown stains, smooth, and lacking a ring.
- Flesh
- Yellowish to pale brown.
- Fruiting body
- Grows in dense clusters on decaying wood.
- Habitat
- Decaying hardwood logs, stumps, and buried wood.
Key Facts
- Cap surfaces: Smooth
- Growth Form: Clustered
- Spore Print: Purplish-brown
- Body color: Reddish-brown
- Odor: Mild, mushroomy
- Flesh bruises: No bruising
- Height: 4-10 cm
- Cap Diameter: 2-8 cm
- Nutrient gathering: Saprophytic
Safe
SafeWhile Hypholoma lateritium is considered edible, it can be easily confused with the poisonous Hypholoma fasciculare (Sulphur Tuft).
Quick Check
- Odor: Mild, mushroomy.
- Fruiting: Grows in clusters on decaying wood.
- Substrate: Decaying hardwood.
Where to Find
Deciduous forests
Grows on decaying hardwood logs, stumps, and buried wood.
Wooded areas
Prefers areas with moist conditions and plenty of decaying organic matter.
Finding Tips
Check decaying wood
Look for clusters of mushrooms with reddish-brown caps on decaying wood.
Search moist areas
Search in wooded areas with moist conditions.
Similar Species
Hypholoma fasciculare
mushroom
Also known as: Sulphur Tuft
Scientific Classification
- Phylum
- Basidiomycota
- Class
- Agaricomycetes
- Order
- Agaricales
- Family
- Strophariaceae
- Genus
- Hypholoma
Storage Information
- Max Temperature: 2
- Freezing duration: 3
- Min Temperature: -2
- Refrigeration: 2
How to Clean
Wipe the caps gently with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or debris. Trim the base of the stem if it's dirty or tough.
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