Yellow Stainer
ExploreFungi
Yellow Stainer
Agaricus
The Yellow Stainer is a mushroom that changes color when you touch it! It's a fun one to spot in the wild.
Habitat: In fields and meadows
Appearance
The Yellow Stainer is a medium-sized mushroom with a smooth, white cap that can turn slightly yellow with age. Its gills start pink and darken to a chocolate brown. A key identifying feature is its bright yellow stain when the cap or stem is bruised, especially at the base.
KingdomFungiPhylumBasidiomycotaClassAgaricomycetesOrderAgaricalesFamilyAgaricaceaeGenusAgaricus
Category
FungiRarity
Common
Danger
1/5 · Very low
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Despite its innocent look, it’s one of the most common causes of mushroom poisoning.
If you try to cook this mushroom, its unpleasant chemical smell gets even stronger!
It often grows in circles in lawns, sometimes called “fairy rings.”
Its scientific name, Agaricus xanthodermus, means “yellow skin mushroom.”
Special abilities
Ability
Bruise Reaction
Yellow Stainer can change its color to bright yellow when touched, because it has special chemicals that react with air.
Ability
Warning Scent
Yellow Stainer has a unique, unpleasant ink-like smell that helps warn animals it's not good to eat.
Ability
Spore Spreaders
Yellow Stainer produces millions of dark brown spores that help it spread its babies far and wide to new places.
Measurements & details
- Height
- 6-12 cm
- Edibility
- poisonous
- Cap Diameter
- 5-15 cm
- Growth Substrate
- soil
- Season
- Summer, fall
- Spore Color
- Dark brown
Ecological connections
depends on
English oak
Quercus robur
Feeds on decaying leaf litter around its roots in woodland areas.
eaten by
Black slug
Arion ater
Some slugs are sometimes seen munching on its cap.
shelters
Annual bluegrass
Poa annua
Often grows in lawns near this common type of grass.
Traits
Deciduous
Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons.
Spore Producing
Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores.
Grassland
Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
Decomposer
Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
Also known as
AgaricYellow Mushroom
Collections
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 tall is Yellow Stainer?
6-12 cm
Is Yellow Stainer edible?
poisonous
How big is Yellow Stainer?
5-15 cm
Where is Yellow Stainer usually found?
In fields and meadows
What does Yellow Stainer grow on?
soil
When is Yellow Stainer in season?
Summer, fall
What color are Yellow Stainer spores?
Dark brown
Snap Map
Zoom in to split clusters and explore where this object has been snapped.
Loading map…
Recent Snaps
Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.
