The western witch's hat belongs to the complex group of yellow-orange mushrooms that stain black when bruised. With so many similar toxic mushrooms and little data on the species, the edibility of the western witch's hat is questionable so the mushroom is best avoided.
Cap Diameter:
1 - 5 cm
Odor:
Mildly mushroomy but not distinctive.
In This Article
Attributes
Similar Species
Tips for Finding
Clean and Preserve
Common Questions
General Info About Western witch's hat
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Attributes of Western witch's hat
Cap Diameter
1 - 5 cm
Height
5 - 15 cm
Cap
Cap 2 - 5 cm broad; conic to campanulate; orange, yellow, or black; surface viscid when moist, glabrous; margin incurved, then decurved
Cap Shape
Bell-shaped
Cap Surfaces
Smooth, Slimy or slightly sticky, Visible lines or stripes
Gills
Free, adnexed; subdistant, close or nearly distant; whitish to pale orangish yellow; turn blacke when bruised
Western witch's hat typically grow in coniferous woodland areas, often under conifers like coast redwoods, presenting itself scattered or in small groups.
