Top 20 Most Common Toxic or Poisonous Mushrooms in Reno
Nestled within the unique landscape of Reno, a rich variety of mushrooms thrive in its diverse climate and rugged terrain. Our guide, 'Top 20 most common poisonous mushrooms in Reno', is a vital resource for local foragers. By identifying specific species and their toxigenic traits, this guide helps to ensure that your next mushroom hunt is both safe and rewarding. Harness our expertise and explore with confidence.
* Disclaimer: Content feedback CAN NOT be used as any basis for EATING ANY PLANTS. Some plants can be VERY POISONOUS, please purchase edible plants through regular channels.
Most Common Toxic or Poisonous Mushrooms
1. Wolf lichen
The thallus, or vegetative body, has a fructicose shape — that is, shrubby and densely branched — and a bright yellow to yellow-green, or chartreuse color, although the color will fade in drier specimens. Its dimensions are typically 2 to 7 cm (0.8 to 3 in) in diameter. The vegetative reproductive structures soredia and isidia are present on the surface of the thalli, often abundantly. 
2. Sulphur tuft
The sulphur tuft grows on rotting wood of all types of trees; it is a particularly efficient decomposer of hardwoods. The mushrooms appear from spring to autumn and are often so tightly packed that they interfere with each other’s shape. This poisonous mushroom can cause temporary paralysis, distorted vision, and stomach pain if consumed.
3. Western jack-o'-lantern mushroom
The western jack-o'-lantern mushroom (Omphalotus olivascens) may be the most visually striking mushroom of the forest during day and night. During the day, brilliant large orange flat caps grow from both the ground and decaying stumps. At night, these mushrooms may glow in the dark, depending on location and maturity.
4. Turbinellus kauffmanii
Turbinellus kauffmanii appears in summer and fall and is often found growing in fallen needles from conifer trees. The vase-shaped body and flat light brown cap make the fungus easy to identify. As the species ages, the scales split open revealing white flesh. A pungent odor also identifies younger species.
5. Yellow-staining milkcap
Like most other milkcaps, the yellow-staining milkcap will ooze a white, latex-like substance when cut or otherwise damaged, but, unlike closely related species, the latex of this mushroom will quickly turn canary-yellow when exposed to the air. Go ahead and try it out for yourself, but don't take this one home to the kitchen! The yellow-staining milkcap is toxic.
6. Hooded false morel
The hooded false morel (Gyromitra infula) does not look nearly as similar to true morels as some other false morels do. This mushroom has a highly irregular, often saddle-shaped cap that rarely has the honeycomb-like holes of a common morel. The species is widely distributed across the temperate northern hemisphere and tends to grow on rotting coniferous wood.
7. Black bulgar
The black bulgar is an unusual fungus that looks a bit like black gumdrops. While some authorities classify it in an "unknown edibility" group, others claim it's a poisonous mushroom. Either way, its unappealing appearance surely makes it an easy choice not to consume the black bulgar.
8. Oak-loving elfin saddle
9. Creamy russula
The creamy russula is so-called because is one of the unusual species that fruits during winter. The species' range, the wet, northwestern coast of the United States, stays cool but rarely dips below freezing during this time. Red-capped and white-gilled, creamy russulas look very similar to a host of other russala species; this species is just bitter-tasting, but some of its look-alikes are toxic.
10. Woolly chanterelle
The woolly chanterelle, which looks only vaguely similar to its famed, edible chanterelle cousins, is vase-shaped and has large, pale folds and wrinkles on its underside (as opposed to having gills, like those of more sought-after chanterelles). Woolly chanterelles can cause upset stomach, vomiting, and diarrhea in some who eat them, while leaving others completely unaffected. Needless to say, the species is not considered a "choice edible".
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