Funeral Bell
Galerina marginata
Potentially Deadly Wood-Decaying Fungus Identified
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All Images (3)
Key Features
- Caramel-brown
- smooth
- convex cap
- Rusty-brown
- closely spaced gills
- Fibrillose ring zone on the upper stem
- Stem darkening toward the base
- Clustered growth on decaying wood
Color:
Caramel to yellowish-brown caps with rusty-brown gills
Smell:
Unknown
Growth Pattern:
Clustered
Environment:
Mossy dead wood
Habitat & Distribution
Habitat:
Decaying hardwood or conifer logs and stumps
Distribution:
Northern Hemisphere (North America, Europe, Asia)
Seasonality:
Late summer to late autumn
Economic Value
Market Demand:
None - toxic
Price Range:
N/A
Commercial Use:
None
Toxicity Information
Symptoms:
- Severe abdominal pain
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Liver and kidney failure
- Coma and potential death
Onset Time:
Delayed: 6 to 24 hours post-ingestion
First Aid:
- Seek immediate emergency medical care
- Bring a retained specimen for clinical identification
Emergency Contacts:
- 911 (US)
- Poison Help (US): 1-800-222-1222
- 112 (EU/EEA)
- 999 (UK)
Similar Species
Sheathed Woodtuft
Kuehneromyces mutabilis
Key Differences:
- Conspicuously scaly stem below the ring
- Tends to grow in larger, denser clusters
Velvet Shank
Flammulina velutipes
Key Differences:
- White spore print
- Lacks a ring or veil zone entirely
- Distinctive tough, velvety dark stem
Conifer Tuft
Hypholoma capnoides
Key Differences:
- Purplish-brown to greyish gills when mature
- Lacks the rusty-brown spore deposits on the stem
Recommended Action
Do not consume under any circumstances. Wash hands thoroughly after handling and keep away from children and pets.