Key to the Ecological Roles of Fungi<< Start Over
Are the scales/patches darker than the cap?
Yes

You have a Saprobe breaking down dead soil material (or perhaps buried wood), most likely from the genus Lepiota.

An Exception: Tricholoma caligatum, pictured below, is a Mutualist with oak trees. Note the dark scaliness below the prominent ring.

No
(the scales may be the same color as the cap)

You have a Mutualist with trees. Your mushroom belongs to the genus Amanita, which happens to contain some deadly poisonous species.


 
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