Chicago Top Ten Lists

The order in these lists is based on number of records for Chicago Region. How many of these do you know?

Top Ten Most Common Choice Edibles

Be sure you know these well before eating them. Also: Morchella (morels), Boletes (Boletus), Lactifluus hygrophoroides, Clitocybe nuda, (blewitt), Hericium.

  1. Laetiporus sulphureus (chicken mushroom) 56671988 ; Kuo
  2. Cantharellus chicagoensis (chanterelle) IMA foray ; Ohio ; albino
  3. Gyroporus castaneus (chestnut bolete) 13532622 ; Kuo
  4. Grifola frondosa (hen-of-the-woods) 17966753 ; Kuo
  5. Armillaria mellea (honey mushroom) 16072423 ; Kuo
  6. Calvatia gigantea (giant puffball) 9752922 ; Kuo
  7. Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushroom) 12145638 ; Kuo
  8. Laetiporus cincinnatus (white-pored c. m.) 51084940 ; Kuo
  9. Pleurotus pulmonarius (summer oyster m.) 52857614 ; Kuo
  10. Entoloma abortivum (abortive entoloma) 33157828 ; Kuo

Some of the less common edibles.

Top Ten Most Common Poisonous Mushrooms

Be sure you know these well before NOT eating them.

  1. Galerina marginata (funeral bell) 12042139 ; Kuo
  2. Omphalotus illudens (jack o’lantern) 4750619 ; Kuo
  3. Amanita bisporigera (destroying angel) 33234017 ; Kuo
  4. Hapalopilus rutilans (tender nesting polypore) 52976096 ; Kuo
  5. Amanita spp. (destroying angels and others) 16474275 ; Kuo
  6. Inocybe spp. (fiber heads) 13268898 ; Kuo
  7. Cortinarius spp. (webcaps) 4750641 ; Kuo
  8. Lepiota spp. (parasols, deadly dapperling) 7879660 ; Kuo
  9. Chlorophyllum molybdites (the vomiter) 3883834 ; Kuo
  10. Pholiotina rugosa (Conocybe filaris) Mushroom Observer

Top Ten Most Common Macrofungi

All are wood rotters on tree trunks, logs, dead branches. None of these are poisonous but few are edible.

  1. Trametes versicolor (turkey-tail bracket) 36872378 ; Kuo
  2. Trichaptum biforme (violet-pore polypore) 56360014 ; Kuo
  3. Ganoderma applanatum (artist’s conk) 35791184 ; Kuo
  4. Fuscoporia gilva (mustard yellow polypore) 47776990 ; Kuo
  5. Irpex lacteus (milk-tooth polypore) 51055546 ; 45750613 ; 45307798 ; MycoGuide ; Kuo
  6. Neofavolus alveolaris (diamond-pored p.) 54899039 ; Kuo
  7. Stereum ostrea (false turkey-tail) 36056650 ; Kuo
  8. Polyporus varius (Cerioporus, black-footed polypore) 13775738 ; Kuo
  9. Polyporus squamosus (dryad saddle) 56320426 ; Kuo
  10. Schizophyllum commune (split-gill) 54899056 ; Kuo

Top Ten Most common Gilled Mushrooms

These are the “agarics” – classic types of mushrooms. Includes edible, poisonous, and inedible species.

  1. Pluteus cervinus group (fawn mushroom) 56322255 ; Kuo
  2. Mycena galericulata (common bonnet) 8716636 ; Kuo
  3. Mycena haematopus (bleeding fairy helmet) 15930393 ; Kuo
  4. Galerina marginata (funeral bell) 38314456 ; Kuo
  5. Russula pectinatoides 33935606 ; Kuo
  6. Pseudosperma rimosa group (Inocybe) 10233252 ; Kuo
  7. Amanita vaginata, A. fulva group (grisette) 55285823 ; Kuo
  8. Coprinellus micaceus (mica inky cap) 46302635 ; Kuo
  9. Armillaria gallica (eastern honey cap) 17774887 ; Kuo
  10. Pholiota polychroa (multicolor scalycap) 13983406 ; Kuo

Top Ten most common genera of difficult to identify gilled mushrooms

Learn characters of the genus and some of the distinctive species. None of the experts can identify all of these.

  1. Inocybe (fiber caps) 53780893 ; Kuo
  2. Psathyrella (crumble caps) 33678117 ; Kuo
  3. Cortinarius (the corts) 56321150 ; Kuo
  4. Russula (brittlegills) 55290351 ; Kuo
  5. Mycena (fairy helmets) 56462100 ; Kuo
  6. Entoloma (pink spores, attached gills) 56046716 ; Kuo
  7. Pluteus (pink spores, free gills) 54098073 ; Kuo
  8. Amanita (white spores, volva) 31994686 ; Kuo
  9. Lactarius (milk caps) 54454193 ; Kuo
  10. Crepidotus (brown spores, no stem) 55430589 ; Kuo

Quiz and cool stuff

  1. Caulorhiza hygrophoroides iNat page
  2. Not Omphalotus ? 46957233
  3. Not Amanita muscaria ? 4057900
  4. Trametes conchifer - sexual and asexual 56133186
  5. Hydnellum spongiosipes 55488442
  6. Scleroderma with spots 55177261
  7. Unknown 54899049
  8. Lentinus with gills 37135762
  9. Lentinus with pores 46531826
  10. Not Lentinus 56667525
  11. Not Lentinus 34327760 ; dup 34217710
  12. Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginianae 45930540
  13. Gymnosporangium clavipes 50340734
  14. Phycomyces on dung 48984965 ; NatureSpot
  15. Student Project Summer Class
  16. Students Project Morton Class

Our Mycoflora of Chicago Region observations.

Image of mushroom

For any questions email Patrick Leacock at mycoguide@gmail.com.