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Mushroom Photo Gallery:
Agarics (Gilled Mushrooms)

IMPORTANT NOTE
This resource is posted without warranty as to absolute taxonomic determination. In other words, it is possible that I have mislabelled a mushroom here! I am always grateful for corrections (contact me at mycology@aol.com).
DO NOT use these photos as a tool for safe identification of edible wild mushrooms—use resources that are designed for that purpose:
Edible Wild Mushrooms of North America
America's Best, Safest Edible Wild Mushrooms

Gilled mushrooms (agarics) have evolved at least four or five times according to DNA study results so far, and probably even more often than that. This particular manifestation of the phenomenon of convergent evolution has repeated itself because each spore has an exceedingly slim chance of germinating at the right time in the right place—and two sexually compatible spores have to germinate in proximity to one another in order for mating to occur. In order to be successful, each species has to successfully compete against numerous other species for habitat.
 
The reason that gills keep evolving is that they provide the highest surface-area-to-mass ratio for the external production of spores. Mathematics dictate that given enough time, any basidiomycete will evolve gills unless it resorts to internal spore production (as with puffballs, which have an even greater mathematical advantage). Consider: If whoever invented the standard design of the radiators under our cars' hoods (which very obviously resemble the gills of an agaric) hadn't done so, someone else would have, for the very same reason: it's all about the ratio, and this particular design is ultimately effective at fulfilling a vital goal.
 
Now that mushrooms have had some 100 million years to evolve, there are a lot of gilled mushrooms around, and the variations between species and genera of gilled mushrooms can confound even seasoned mushroom experts and professional mycologists. In many cases, it is impossible to identify a gilled mushroom even to genus without resorting to the use of a microscope to assess cellular characters, which are too minute to be seen with the naked eye.
 
That said, there are nonetheless scores of common (i.e., evolutionarily successful) gilled mushrooms which are so distinctive that they can be readily identified to species in the field. This section of the AmericanMushrooms.com Photo Gallery features an assortment of gilled mushrooms in both categories. In other words, some of these photographs show gilled mushrooms that are relatively easy to identify, while others show gilled mushrooms that cannot be confidently identified by anyone but a very experienced mycologist.
 
Here's the point: If you see a photograph that appears to show a gilled mushroom you're trying to identify, that does not mean you have identified your specimen; it only means that you have found a photo of something that, to you, looks a lot like your specimen. Whether it is or not remains to be seen. Only through careful study and the use of a good field guide can one be certain of a gilled mushroom's identity.
 
Look here and you'll get a good sense of how big a role attention to detail plays in the art of identifying gilled mushrooms (and other mushrooms): The BASICS of MUSHROOM IDENTIFICATION.


Agaricus campestris

Agaricus placomyces

Agaricus subrufescens

Agrocybe acericola

Agrocybe pediades

Amanita brunnescens

Amanita brunnescens var. pallida

Amanita citrina

Amanita ceciliae

Amanita cokeri

Amanita farinosa

Amanita flavoconia

Amanita flavorubescens

Amanita frostiana

Amanita fulva

Amanita gemmata

Amanita jacksonii

Amanita muscaria var. alba

Amanita muscaria var. formosa

Amanita pantherina

Amanita pantherina - var. uncertain

Amanita rubescens

Amanita sinicoflava

Amanita solaniolens

Amanita vaginata

Amanita virosa

Amanita sp.

Amanita sp.

Amanita sp.

Amanita sp.

Armillaria mellea

Asterophora lycoperdoides

Asterophora parasitica

Baeospora myosura

Bolbitius vitellinus

Calocybe carnea

Cheimonophyllum candidissimus

Chlorophyllum molybdites

Chroogomphus vinicolor

Clitocybe clavipes

Clitocybe gibba

Clitocybe nuda

Collybia cookei

Collybia tuberosa

Conocybe lactea

Coprinus atramentarius

Coprinus cinereus

Coprinus comatus

Coprinus disseminatus

Coprinus micaceus

Coprinus plicatilis

Coprinus variegatus

Cortinarius alboviolaceus

Cortinarius corrugatus

Cortinarius iodes

Cortinarius paleiferus

Cortinarius semisanguineus

Cortinarius trivialis

Cortinarius violaceus

Cortinarius sp.

Cortinarius sp.

Crepidotus applanatus

Crepidotus malachius

Cyptotrama asprata

Cystoderma amianthinum var. amianthinum

Cystoderma amianthinum var. rugosoreticulatum

Entoloma abortivum

Entoloma clypeatum

Flammulina velutipes

Galerina autumnalis

Gomphidius glutinosus

Gymnopilus picreus

Gymnopus butyracea

Gymnopus confluens

Gymnopus dryophilus

Gymnopus subnuda

Hygrocybe borealis

Hygrocybe cantharellus

Hygrocybe coccinea

Hygrocybe conica

Hygrocybe cuspidata

Hygrocybe flavescens

Hygrocybe laeta

Hygrocybe marginata var. marginata

Hygrocybe marginata var. concolor

Hygrocybe marginata var. olivacea

Hygrocybe nitida

Hygrophorus psittacina

Hygrocybe sp.

Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca

Hygrophorus camarophyllus

Hygrophorus chrysodon

Hygrophorus fuligineus

Hygrophorus sordidus

Hygrophorus speciosus

Hygrophorus subsalmoneus

Hypholoma fasciculare

Hypholoma polytrichi

Hypholoma sublateritium

Hypsizygus tessulatus

Inocybe caesariata

Inocybe fastigiata

Inocybe fuscodisca

Inocybe geophylla

Laccaria amethystea

Laccaria laccata

Laccaria ochropurpurea

Laccaria proxima

Laccaria trullisata

Lactarius corrugis

Lactarius deceptivus

Lactarius deterrimus

Lactarius gerardii

Lactarius griseus

Lactarius hibbardae

Lactarius hygrophoroides

Lactarius hygrophoroides var. subdistans

Lactarius lignyotus var. canadensis

Lactarius piperatus

Lactarius sordidus

Lactarius subpurpureus

Lactarius subvellereus

Lactarius vinaceorufescens

Lentinellus ursinus

Lentinus lepideus

Lentinus torulosus

Lepiota acutesquamosa

Lepiota cepaestipes

Lepiota rubrotincta

Leptonia incana

Leptonia rosea

Leptonia serrulata

Leucoagaricus leucothites

Leucocoprinus birnbaumii

Leucopaxillus albissimus

Leucopholiota decorosa

Macrolepiota americana

Macrolepiota procera

Macrolepiota rachodes

Marasmiellus nigripes

Marasmius graminum

Marasmius oreades

Marasmius rotula

Marasmius scorodonius

Marasmius siccus

Megacollybia platyphylla

Micromphale perforans

Mycena corticola

Mycena epipterygia

Mycena haematopus

Mycena leaiana

Mycena osmundicola

Mycena subcaerulea

Nolanea conica

Nolanea murraii

Nolanea quadrata

Omphalina epichysium

Omphalotus olearius

Panaeolus foenisecii

Panellus serotinus

Panellus stipticus

Paxillus atrotomentosus

Paxillus corrugatus

Paxillus involutus

Phaeomarasmius erinaceelus

Pholiota albocrenulata

Pholiota flammans

Pholiota spumosa

Pholiota squarrosoides

Pholiota terrestris

Pholiota sp.

Phyllotopsis nidulans

Pleurocybella porrigens

Pleurotus ostreatus

Pluteus admirabilis

Pluteus cervinus

Pluteus longistriatus

Pluteus magnus

Pluteus pellitus

Porpoloma umbrosum

Psathyrella bipellis

Psathyrella candolleana

Psathyrella conissans

Psathyrella delineata

Psathyrella septentrionalis

Psathyrella velutina

Psathyrella sp.

Resinomycena rhododendrii

Resupinatus applicatus

Rhodocollybia maculata

Rhodocybe mundula

Rickenella fibula

Rozites caperata

Russula brevipes var. acrior

Russula laurocerasi

Russula mariae

Russula variata

Russula ventricosipes

Russula virescens

Stropharia semiglobata

Tricholoma pessundatum

Tricholoma sejunctum

Tricholoma subluteum

Tricholomopsis decora

Tricholomopsis rutilans

Tricholomopsis sulfureoides

Tubaria furfuracea

Xeromphalina campanella

Xeromphalina kauffmanii

Xerula furfuracea
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AMERICANMUSHROOMS.COM SITE INDEX
aboutmushroom basicscoolest mushroomsedible mushrooms 1,046 mushroom photos!HOMElawn & garden mushroomsmushroom linksmedicinal mushrooms
morel mushroomsmushroom I.D.mushroom photographymushroom showmusicmushroom odorspsilocybin mushroomsschedulestoretiniest mushroomstoxic mushrooms

To contact David Fischer, send an e-mail to…
to contact David Fischer, send an e-mail to 'mycology@aol.com'

All content at americanmushrooms.com is Copyright © 2006, 2007 by David W. Fischer. All rights reserved.