Hebeloma crustuliniforme (Poison pie)

Poisonous. This species causes a severe gastrointestinal syndrome that, while not deadly, may sometimes need hospital attention.

The fruit bodies are mushrooms that grow on soil. The caps may grow to 10 centimetres in diameter and are smooth, gently rounded to flat, creamy (or slightly brownish in from the margin) and sticky in moist conditions. The gills are creamy to pale brown, with weakly serrated edges on which you may see fluid droplets (which dry as brown spots on the gill edge, see http://www.cpbr.gov.au/fungi/images-captions/hebeloma%20crustuliniforme-0242.html). The stem may grow to 7 centimetres in length, 2 in diameter and is of a colour similar to that of the cap.

The spore print is a dull brown. You can see spore deposits on the stems of the mushrooms in this photo: http://www.cpbr.gov.au/fungi/images-captions/hebeloma-crustuliniforme-0241.html.

This is an introduced species that forms mycorrhizal associations with a number of northern hemisphere plants, both coniferous and broad leaf species. In Canberra it is common near oak trees.