St George's mushroom or Livid pinkgill
Calocybe gambosa · Entoloma sinuatum
Unidentified gastrointestinal toxins
Violent and prolonged vomiting and diarrhoea, sometimes lasting days and requiring hospital treatment. Responsible for a large share of serious poisonings in Europe.
Check in this order
Most decisive first
| Feature | St George's mushroom | Livid pinkgill |
|---|---|---|
| 01Spore print | White. | Salmon PINK. This settles it and nothing else needs checking. |
| 02Gill colour when mature | White, staying white. | Yellowish when young, turning salmon pink as the spores ripen. |
| 03Season | Spring. Traditionally around St George's Day, 23 April. | Late summer and autumn. |
| 04Smell | Strongly mealy, of fresh flour. | Also strongly mealy. The smell separates nothing here, which is worth knowing. |
Where people go wrong
Trusting the smell. Both smell powerfully of flour, and a lot of foraging advice treats a mealy smell as a positive indicator for St George's mushroom. It is not. The season and the spore print are what separate them.
This page tells you what to check. It does not tell you the mushroom in your hand is safe, and it cannot. If you are not certain, do not eat it, and if you have already eaten something and feel unwell, contact a poison centre immediately and keep an uncooked specimen for identification.
Other pairs