Golden Bootleg

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Golden Bootleg

Poisonous

Autumn

Summer

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Caps before ring detaches

This has to be the drama queen of mushrooms. A large, golden yellow fungi with a partial veil that falls away to become a large ring atop a sheath running down the stem. Quite a sight! It was collected and eaten in some countries but high levels of cyanide and cadmium now put it on the poisonous list.

Mushroom Type
Common Names	Golden Bootleg (EN), Golden Cap (US), Capan Aur (CY), Aksamitkówka Złota (PL), Szemcsés Aranygomba (HU)
Scientific Name	Phaeolepiota aurea
Synonyms	Cystoderma aureum, Pholiota aurea
Season Start	Jun
Season End	Oct
Average Mushroom height (CM)	10-20cm
Average Cap width (CM)	5-15cm

Please note that each and every mushroom you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.

Cap

7-15cm in diameter, convex, ring remaining attached to cap until stem fully mature, looking like the cap is in a bag. Once ring separates edge of cap maybe finely ragged or have larger pieces of the ring attached. Golden yellow to yellow brown possibly darker or lighter in the centre. Fine radial fibres on the cap.

Gills

Crowded, adnexed (dipping close to the stem but still attached to the stem), pale brown/gingery.

Cortina / Veil

The extensive ring forms a partial veil over the cap.

Stem

7-20cm long, 1-3cm thick. Tapering towards cap i.e., club shaped. Slightly bulbous base. Covered in a grooved granular sheath, but smooth above the ring and paler close to the cap.