Fragrant Funnel
A small size funnel mushroom with amazing aniseed scent. Don’t be fooled, it is considered inedible, or even toxic by some.
Scientific Name – Clitocybe fragrans
Common Names:
Fragrant Funnel (EN), Twmffat / Twndish Peraroglus (CY), Lejkówka Dusząca (PL), Illatos Tölcsérgomba (HU)
Please note that each and every mushroom you come across may vary in appearance to these photos.
Cap
1–4 cm across, white to off-white, greyish-buff in colour, but it is hygrophanous, so rather variable. Initially convex, then becoming almost flat, its centre often slightly depressed. Margin is often, but not always striated, initially inrolled.
Gills
Crowded, barely touches the stem (adnexed) to running down to the stem (decurrent). White, off-white with a really faint pinkish tint. Edge is smooth, concolorous with the rest of the gills.
Stem
2–6 cm long, 0.2–0.5 cm diameter. Cylindrical, creamy white to pale buff; smooth or slightly fibrous.
Flesh
Thin, hygrophanous, concolorous with the cap; the stem can be hollow.
Habitat
Fruiting solitary or in smaller groups on wet and mossy spots on the soil, often close to hardwoods. In open woodlands, parklands, cemeteries, large gardens etc. Sometimes can be found almost all year long (except in the hot summer period), but mostly from late Summer/early Autumn to early Winter. Common and widespread in the UK.
Possible Confusion
Bleached specimens of Aniseed Funnel (Clitocybe odora), pictured, might look rather similar, but they are usually larger than Fragrant Funnel, and its younger specimens have a vivid blue green colour.
The toxic Fool’s Funnel (Clitocybe rivulosa, syn: Clitocybe dealbata) aka Ivory Funnel, has a somewhat sweet-aromatic smell.
Taste / Smell
Inedible or suspected toxic by some. Taste unknown, smell strong aniseed-like.
Other Facts
It contains traces of muscarine, so should not be consumed!
