# Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies (*agaricales*) Common gilled mushrooms are fun and colorful fungi that pop up in forests and gardens. They can be a great place for kids to explore and learn about nature! - **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests, grassy areas, and sometimes even in your backyard. - **Also known as:** Nidula, agaric mushrooms, button mushrooms, field mushrooms ![Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Agaricales_-_La_florifunga%F0%9F%8C%B1_-_480430238.jpeg&width=800) Photo: La florifunga🌱, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Agaricales_-_La_florifunga%F0%9F%8C%B1_-_480430238.jpeg) ## Appearance The Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies has a cap, gills underneath, and a stalk. Caps vary greatly in size and color, often appearing in shades of white, brown, red, or yellow. The radiating gill plates under the cap are a key identifier, distinguishing them from other fungi. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Fungi - **Phylum:** Basidiomycota - **Class:** Agaricomycetes - **Order:** Agaricales ## Interesting facts - Mushrooms "breathe" by taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, just like animals! - One fungus mycelium, mostly underground, can cover over 2,000 acres, making it Earth's largest living thing! - Some mushrooms can mimic flowers or even insects to trick other creatures, helping them spread! - The oldest mushroom fossil found is over 115 million years old, growing when dinosaurs roamed! ## Special abilities - **Spore Launcher:** Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies can launch millions of tiny spores because of their specialized gills, helping them spread far and wide. - **Decomposition Expert:** Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies can break down dead trees and leaves because they release powerful enzymes, recycling nutrients back to nature. - **Nature's Networker:** Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies can connect with plants underground through their roots because they form beneficial partnerships, sharing water and nutrients. - **Glow Power:** Some Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies can glow in the dark because they produce special chemicals that emit light, attracting insects at night. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 0.5-40 cm - **Edible:** poisonous - **Size:** 1-30 cm - **Growth Substrate:** soil - **Season:** Spring, summer, fall, winter - **Spore Color:** White, brown, black, pink, yellow ## Ecological connections - **Symbiotic with:** [White Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-oak) (*Quercus alba*) — shares nutrients through root connections - **Eaten by:** [Fruit Fly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/fruit-fly) (*Drosophila melanogaster*) — larvae feed on decaying mushroom tissue - **Eats:** [Eastern Gray Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-gray-squirrel) (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — forages for and consumes various fungi - **Symbiotic with:** [Silver Birch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/silver-birch) (*Betula pendula*) — forms mycorrhizal associations with roots ## Traits - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. ## Collections - [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Some mushrooms can be poisonous, so always ask an adult before touching or tasting them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies? Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies? 0.5-40 cm ### Is Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies edible? poisonous ### How big is Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies? 1-30 cm ### Where is Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies usually found? Forests, grassy areas, and sometimes even in your backyard. ### What does Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies grow on? soil ### When is Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies in season? Spring, summer, fall, winter ### What color are Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies spores? White, brown, black, pink, yellow ## Where to spot - [Valhalla Provincial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/valhalla-provincial-park) — British Columbia, CA · State Park - [Mitchell Nutter Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mitchell-nutter-park) — Florida, US · Park - [Lenclair Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lenclair-park) — Virginia, US · Park - [Nahatlatch Provincial Park and Protected Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/nahatlatch-provincial-park-and-protected-area) — British Columbia, CA · State Park [View all places to see Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/common-gilled-mushrooms-and-allies) ## More Fungi - [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*) - [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*) - [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*) - [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*) --- Source: [Common Gilled Mushrooms And Allies Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-gilled-mushrooms-and-allies)