EdibleAgaricaceae

Agaricus campestris

Field mushroom

Classic edible field mushroom with pink gills that darken to chocolate brown.

Cap: Convex to flat, 4-10 cm, white, dry, sometimes with fine scales.
Gills: Free, bright pink turning chocolate brown.
Stem: 30-60 mm, white, with a simple ring, no volva.
Flesh: White, may stain faintly pink.
Spore print: Chocolate brown
Habitat: Unimproved grassland, pasture and lawns.
Distribution: Worldwide in temperate regions.
Season: Late summer to autumn.
Bruising: None (no blue).
Odour: Pleasantly mushroomy.

Key features

▪Free pink gills turning chocolate
▪Ring but no volva
▪No bluing

Field tests

Excavate the base to rule out an Amanita volva
Chocolate brown spore print

Edibility

Edible and good, but young specimens are confused with deadly white Amanita species.

Warning

Always dig up the base. A white sac at the base means Amanita, not Agaricus.

Lookalikes

Amanita phalloides (death cap)deadly

Always dig up the base. A white sac means death cap. Agaricus gills go pink then chocolate; Amanita gills stay white.

Photo and feature-based identification is probabilistic. Never consume a wild mushroom on the basis of an app result — confirm with an experienced mycologist.