Deadly Conocybe vs Wavy Cap
Conocybe filaris compared with Psilocybe cyanescens — how to tell them apart in the field.
This is a dangerous confusion.
At least one of these species is toxic. Never eat a wild mushroom based on a photo comparison alone — verify with local experts.
How to Tell Them Apart
Also small and brown, also found on wood chips. Critical differences: Psilocybe cyanescens bruises blue, has a wavy cap margin, and produces a dark purple-brown spore print. Conocybe filaris never bruises blue and has a rusty brown spore print. Confusing the two could be fatal.
Side-by-Side Identification
| Trait | Deadly Conocybe | Wavy Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Cap | 1-2.5 cm across. Conical to bell-shaped, sometimes flattening slightly with age. Tawny brown to ochre-brown, smooth, slightly sticky when moist. Hygrophanous, drying to a paler buff from the center outward. Surface often has fine radial striations when moist. | 2-5 cm across. Convex when young, flattening and developing the characteristic wavy, undulating margin with age. Caramel-brown to chestnut when moist, drying to pale buff or yellowish from the center outward (strongly hygrophanous). Surface is smooth and slightly sticky when wet. Bruises blue-green when damaged. |
| Gills | Attached (adnate to adnexed), fairly crowded. Pale cinnamon-brown when young, darkening to rusty brown as spores mature. Thin and fragile. | Broadly attached to the stem (adnate). Pale brown when young, darkening to dark purple-brown as spores mature. Edges often slightly lighter. Bruise blue when damaged. |
| Stem | 3-7 cm tall, 1-3 mm thick. Very slender and fragile, pale brownish, often with a thin, membranous ring (annulus) in the upper third. The ring is easily lost or collapsed against the stem. Base may be slightly enlarged. | 3-8 cm tall, 3-6 mm thick. White, often with a silky fibrous texture. Bruises strongly blue when handled. Usually has a thin, fragile partial veil that leaves a faint ring zone that catches purple-brown spores. Base often has white rhizomorphs extending into the wood chip substrate. |
| Spore print | Rusty brown to cinnamon-brown. Always take a spore print on any small brown lawn mushroom before making any identification. | Dark purple-brown to nearly black. This separates it from the deadly Galerina marginata, which has a rusty brown spore print. |
| Odor | Mild, not distinctive. Some report a faintly earthy or mealy smell. | Farinaceous (mealy or flour-like) when fresh. |
| Habitat | Saprotrophic on decaying organic matter. Found in lawns, gardens, flower beds, wood chip mulch, compost, and disturbed grassy areas. Prefers moist, nutrient-rich soils. Common in suburban and urban settings. | Saprotrophic on lignin-rich wood chips and mulch. Thrives in landscaped areas, park paths, garden borders, playgrounds, and any setting where hardwood or conifer chips have been spread. Also found on woody debris along riparian corridors. Prefers cool, moist conditions. |
| Season | Spring through autumn in temperate regions. Peak fruiting after warm rains in late spring and early fall. Can appear year-round in mild, wet climates. | Autumn through early winter, typically October through January. Fruiting is triggered by the first cold rains after temperatures drop below 15C (60F). In the Pacific Northwest, peak season is November. Can fruit into February in mild years. |
Found one of these in the wild? Don't rely on memory — identify it from a photo with Orangutany and check it against both species before you touch it.