Fauna
Fungus · GBIF taxon 2533347

Wine-cap Stropharia

Stropharia rugosoannulata

Also known as Garden Giant, King Stropharia, Burgundy Mushroom, Wine-red Stropharia

Wine-cap Stropharia thrives in woodchips and rich garden soils, where its expansive mycelial network actively breaks down woody mulch. Underground hyphae produce microscopic, spiky cells called acanthocytes that mechanically immobilize and digest soil-dwelling nematodes. Young fruiting bodies emerge with deep wine-red to burgundy caps that flatten and fade to a pale straw yellow with maturity, framed beneath by a thick, cogwheel-like ring.

DecomposerSpore-producingMulch Dweller
Wine-cap Stropharia reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Annie Weissman, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Annie Weissman · cc-by
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Decaying Wood
  • Soil Nematodes
  • Plant Mulch
Predators
  • Garden Slugs
  • Fungus Gnat Larvae
  • Field Mice
ThreatsProlonged drought, complete removal of organic substrate, and heavy fungicide application
HabitatsWoodchip beds, mulched garden borders, compost heaps, and forest clearings
Life spanPerennial mycelium lasting years; individual fruiting bodies endure 7–14 days
Classification
  1. OrderAgaricales
  2. FamilyStrophariaceae
  3. GenusStropharia
  4. SpeciesStropharia rugosoannulata
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Many edible mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Ring Inspection: Look beneath the cap to check for the distinctive, cogwheel-patterned ridges on the annulus.
  • Spore Print: Place a mature cap gill-side down on white paper to reveal its dark purplish-black spore deposit.
  • Habitat Clues: Search damp hardwood mulch or composted garden pathways after soaking autumn rains.
Related species
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