Deer Mushroom

A number of poisonous or inedible brown mushrooms that grow on wood are similar in appearance but do not match all the key characteristics. For example, the deadly Galerina marginata is similar in color but differs in that the cap is smaller (up to 4 cm broad), the stem has a ring, and the gills are not free from the stem. A large number of closely related species of Pluteus are similar in appearance. Of these, several species bruise blue and are psychoactive due to the presence of psilocybin. The edible Pluteus petasatus differs in that the cap is cream colored with a brownish center. Because it often grows from buried wood rather than from tree stumps, it may be confused with poisonous terrestrial species (such as various species of Entoloma) and therefore is not recommended.