# False Chanterelle (*Hygrophoropsis*)

The False Chanterelle looks like a golden mushroom but isn't edible! It's a pretty find for nature lovers.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** In forests and grassy areas
- **Also known as:** False Chanterelle Mushroom, Yellow Chanterelle

![False Chanterelle](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424480/objects/5135.jpg)

## Appearance

The False Chanterelle has a vibrant orange to yellow velvety cap with a slightly depressed center. Unlike true chanterelles, it possesses true, deeply forked gills that are bright orange and run down its stem. Its overall appearance can easily be mistaken for an edible chanterelle.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Boletales
- **Family:** Hygrophoropsidaceae
- **Genus:** Hygrophoropsis

## Interesting facts

- Despite its name, it’s not related to true chanterelles at all!
- Found almost worldwide, this bright fungus is a global forest helper!
- It helps clean up dead plant matter, like a tiny forest housekeeper.
- Its scientific name 'aurantiaca' means 'orange,' like its vibrant color!

## Special abilities

- **Forest Recycler:** False Chanterelle can break down dead wood because of special enzymes that help it return nutrients to the forest soil.
- **Spore Launcher:** False Chanterelle has countless tiny spores that it can release into the wind to grow new fungi in other places.
- **Forked Gill Factory:** False Chanterelle has uniquely forked gills that help increase the surface area for producing millions of spores.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 3-8 cm
- **Edible:** inedible
- **Size:** 2-10 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Fall
- **Spore Color:** White to yellowish

## Ecological connections

- **Eats:** [Scots Pine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/scots-pine) (*Pinus sylvestris*) — Decomposes dead wood of this tree species.
- **Eats:** Pedunculate Oak (*Quercus robur*) — Breaks down fallen branches and logs of oaks.
- **Eaten by:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Slugs occasionally feed on its mushroom caps.

## Traits

- [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Edible Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible-mushroom): This trait refers to fungal species that are safe for human consumption when properly identified and prepared.
- [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.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Do not pick or eat anything you find. Some plants and mushrooms can be harmful.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify False Chanterelle?

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 False Chanterelle?

3-8 cm

### Is False Chanterelle edible?

inedible

### How big is False Chanterelle?

2-10 cm

### Where is False Chanterelle usually found?

In forests and grassy areas

### What does False Chanterelle grow on?

wood

### When is False Chanterelle in season?

Fall

### What color are False Chanterelle spores?

White to yellowish

## Where to spot

- [Catskill Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/catskill-park) — New York, US · Nature Reserve

## 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: [False Chanterelle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/false-chanterelle)