How to identify Old-man-of-the-woods

To correctly identify Old-man-of-the-woods (Strobilomyces strobilaceus), 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 convex, becoming flattened with age, and covered in coarse, dark grey to black scales. The scales give it a rough, almost pine cone-like texture.

2. 2

   Gills

   Attachment to stem, color, and spacing.

   This mushroom has pores instead of gills. The pores are angular and greyish-white, darkening with age and bruising.

3. 3

   Stem

   Length, shape, surface, and any ring.

   The stem is stout, shaggy, and similar in color to the cap, covered in scales or coarse hairs. It lacks a ring.

4. 4

   Flesh

   Color, texture, and bruising reaction.

   The flesh is thick and white, bruising reddish and eventually black when cut or exposed to air.

5. 5

   Fruiting body

   Overall growth pattern.

   The fruiting body is large and fleshy, with a distinctive shaggy appearance.

6. 6

   Habitat

   Where it grows and on what substrate.

   It grows in deciduous and coniferous woods, often in sandy soil, during summer and fall. 주로 여름과 가을에 걸쳐 활엽수림과 침엽수림에서 발견됩니다.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces

Shaggy scales

Growth Form

Solitary or scattered

Spore Print

Black

Body color

Dark grey to black

Odor

Mild

Flesh bruises

Reddish then black

Height

5-20 cm

Cap Diameter

5-20 cm

Fruit body characteristics

• Gill attachment: Pores
• Stem shape: Cylindrical
• Stem surface: Shaggy
• Ring: Absent
• Stem cross-section: Solid

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