# Wood Blewit (*Lepista*)

The Wood Blewit is a lovely purple mushroom! It grows in wooded areas and can be found in the autumn.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Rare
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Habitat:** Woodlands
- **Also known as:** Blewit, Blue Mushroom

![Wood Blewit](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424818/objects/5101.jpg)

## Appearance

The Wood Blewit has a smooth, convex cap that matures to flat, often with wavy edges, ranging from lilac to brownish-purple. Its crowded gills are purplish, fading with age, distinguishing it from many brown forest fungi.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Agaricales
- **Family:** Tricholomataceae
- **Genus:** Lepista

## Interesting facts

- Even after cooking, the Blewit often keeps its pretty purplish tint.
- If you find one, its cap might feel slightly greasy or slimy to the touch!
- Some people call them 'Amethyst Deceivers' because of their rich purple hue!
- They can grow quite large, sometimes forming impressive circles in the forest.

## Special abilities

- **Spore Shooter:** Wood Blewit can release millions of tiny spores that float on the wind, helping them spread to new places and grow more mushrooms.
- **Nature's Recycler:** Wood Blewit has special enzymes that help them break down dead leaves and wood, returning nutrients to the soil for plants.
- **Scent Signal:** Wood Blewit can produce a distinct flowery or perfumed smell when fresh, which might help attract tiny insects.
- **Color Changer:** Wood Blewit has gills that change from vibrant purple to pale brown as they age, showing their maturity and readiness to release spores.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-10 cm
- **Edible:** edible
- **Size:** 5-15 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** leaf litter
- **Season:** Autumn to early winter
- **Spore Color:** Pinkish-buff

## Ecological connections

- **Depends on:** [English Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/english-oak) (*Quercus robur*) — Wood Blewits decompose its fallen leaves and wood.
- **Depends on:** [European Beech](https://www.snappit.app/explore/european-beech) (*Fagus sylvatica*) — It breaks down organic matter, returning nutrients to soil near these trees.
- **Eats:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Slugs are known to munch on the caps and gills of these mushrooms.
- **Eats:** Eastern Grey Squirrel (*Sciurus carolinensis*) — Squirrels sometimes forage for and eat these mushrooms.

## Traits

- [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues.
- [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 Wood Blewit?

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 Wood Blewit?

5-10 cm

### Is Wood Blewit edible?

edible

### How big is Wood Blewit?

5-15 cm

### Where is Wood Blewit usually found?

Woodlands

### What does Wood Blewit grow on?

leaf litter

### When is Wood Blewit in season?

Autumn to early winter

### What color are Wood Blewit spores?

Pinkish-buff

## 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*)

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Source: [Wood Blewit: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/wood-blewit)