Top 20 Most Common Toxic or Poisonous Mushrooms in Michigan City

Though the false parasol appears unassuming, the species is famous—or, infamous—for its toxicity. It looks unfortunately similar to Agericus campestrus, a commonly eaten mushroom, but the false parasol can be distinguished by its highly unusual green spore print. Although they are no good to eat, they can be pretty to look at. The species may grow in ring-shaped groups in meadows and on forest floors in what are sometimes called "fairy circles."

Small funnel-veil amanita thrives primarily in deciduous forests but is also found growing underneath conifers. Its umbrella-shaped cap covered with small warts makes it easy to spot, along with its cream-colored stem.

The magpie inkcap is a striking and poisonous species of inkcap that can be found in Europe, Australia, and North America. The species has an egg-shaped cap that is typical to inkcaps, but its coloration sets it apart; white spots or splotches adorn a solid, dark brown or black background, reminiscent of the coloration of a magpie.

Freckled dapperling grows on decaying wood most commonly in woodlands but also on mulch or in gardens. Unfortunately, this mushroom may be indistinguishable from other species in the same genus, Echinoderma, without close inspection. However, its pyramid-shaped scales, as referenced by its name, are one aspect that can help differentiate freckled dapperling.

During the reproductive phase of its life cycle, Spinellus fusiger grows throughout the cap of the mushroom host, eventually breaking through to produce radiating reproductive stalks (sporangiophores) bearing minute, spherical, terminal spore-containing structures called sporangia. Ultimately, the spores in the sporangia are released after the breakdown of the outer sporangial wall, becoming passively dispersed to new locations via wind, water, and insects. The sporangia contain non-motile mitospores known as aplanospores. Like other Spinellus species, S. fusiger is homothallic, a condition where sexual zygospores can be produced union of branches from the same mycelium and so can be produced by the growth from a single spore.

The white fibercap is found across Europe and North America. It's range extends impressively far north; it is one of the few mushroom species that does well in tundra. The species has a variant, Inocybe geophylla var. lilacina, that sports a beautiful, lilac-colored cap. As very few mushrooms bear purple hues, this variant is sought after by collectors. While pretty to look at, it is toxic.

The cleft-footed amanita is a North American mushroom species that was once classified as the notorious Amanita phalloides (the Death cap). Although later found to be less deadly, the cleft-footed amanita is a highly variable species that is not considered safe to forage for consumption.

The cinnamon bracket (Hapalopilus rutilans) is a fungus that causes a white rot on dead wood. Its poisonous fruit bodies appear as brackets, and tend to grow in a dull orangish shade. A chemical reaction with ammonia, however, turns it purple. This fact can be exploited for the creation of wool dyes, with colors ranging from light lavender to deep purple.

Birch knight is likely to be found in large groups at the margins of damp woodlands. The name birch knight refers to its affinity for birch trees. This mushroom smells somewhat like flour dough. It has distinctive brown-spotted gills underneath its cap.

Split fibrecap is a toxic mushroom that grows under hardwood trees from summer to fall. Unfortunately, the visible and microscopic characteristics of this mushroom can be indistinguishable from other fibrecaps, making a definite identification of this mushroom difficult.