Fauna
Fungus

Southern Jack-O'-Lantern Mushroom

Omphalotus subilludens

Also known as Southern Jack-o'-Lantern, Southern Jack O'Lantern

Southern Jack-O'-Lantern Mushrooms grow in dense, eye-catching clusters on decaying hardwoods and buried roots across the southern United States and Mexico. Bright orange to copper-brown caps feature decurrent gills that emit a faint green bioluminescent glow in complete darkness. This fungus plays an important ecological role breaking down dead timber and recycling nutrients back into woodland soils.

BioluminescentToxic FungusCluster-Forming
Southern Jack-O'-Lantern Mushroom reference1 / 7
(c) Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋）, some rights reserved (CC BY) · 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 & preySaprotrophic (decomposer of dead wood)
Predators
  • Fungus Beetles
  • Slugs
  • Fly Larvae
ThreatsHabitat loss and deforestation
HabitatsHardwood forests, wooded parks, and suburban landscapes
Life spanFruiting bodies persist 1–2 weeks; subterranean mycelium lives for years
Classification
  1. FamilyOmphalotaceae
  2. SpeciesOmphalotus subilludens
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Toxic if ingested; many mushrooms have dangerous look-alikes, so never eat wild fungi based on app identification.
Why it is dangerous
Contains illudin S and illudin M toxins that cause severe nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and cramps.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Look for bright orange decurrent gills running down stems growing in tight clusters on wood.
What to do
Avoid ingestion, keep pets away from clusters, and wash hands after handling wild specimens.
Responsible observation
  • Night Observation: Allow eyes to adjust in complete darkness to see the faint green gill glow.
  • Wood Inspection: Check the base of hardwood trees, stumps, and buried root systems for clusters.
  • Spore Deposit: Take a spore print on dark paper to observe white to pale creamy spore lines.
Related species
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