Fungus · GBIF taxon 3293632
Sulphur Tuft
Hypholoma fasciculareAlso known as Clustered Woodlover, Sulfur Tuft
Sulphur tufts grow in dense, crowded clusters on decaying stumps and buried wood across temperate forests. Their vibrant sulfur-yellow caps fade to orange-brown at the center, with yellowish gills that darken to a distinctive purplish-brown as spores mature. As essential saprotrophs, these fungi play a vital role in recycling nutrients by breaking down dead hardwood and conifer timber.
SaprotrophicPoisonousCluster-forming
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Dead wood
- Lignin
- Cellulose
Predators
- Fungus gnats
- Slugs
- Springtails
ThreatsWidespread and secure
HabitatsDeciduous and coniferous woodlands, forests, and parks
Life spanFruiting bodies last 1 to 2 weeks; mycelium lives for years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyStrophariaceae
- SpeciesHypholoma fasciculare
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Highly poisonous if ingested; wild mushrooms have toxic look-alikes and should never be eaten based on app identification alone.
- Why it is dangerous
- Contains fasciculol toxins that trigger severe gastrointestinal distress, nausea, vomiting, and potential organ damage.
- How to recognize a risky encounter
- Look for bright sulfur-yellow caps in dense clumps on dead wood with greenish-yellow gills that turn purplish-black.
- What to do
- Safe to observe and photograph, but wash hands after touching and never ingest wild fungi.
Responsible observation
- Cluster pattern: Inspect the base of tree stumps in autumn to find dense tufts springing from rotting roots.
- Spore prints: Place a cap on white paper overnight to reveal its characteristic purplish-brown spore print.
Ecological Look-Alike (c) Nathan Wilson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) mycowalt, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by mycowalt · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Alan Rockefeller, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alan Rockefeller · cc-by
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