Fauna
Fungus

Paddy Straw Mushroom

Volvariella volvacea

Also known as Straw Mushroom, Paddy Straw Fungus, Asian Straw Mushroom

Paddy Straw Mushrooms emerge from cup-like volvas as smooth egg-shaped buttons before expanding into broad, silvery-grey caps. They thrive in hot, humid environments, rapidly decomposing agricultural waste such as rice straw and sugarcane bagasse. At maturity, their free gills shift from white to a characteristic soft salmon-pink as mature spores blanket the underside.

SaprophyteTropicalGills
Paddy Straw Mushroom reference1 / 7
(c) Kurt Miller, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
—observations
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyDecaying straw, Cellulose, Lignin
Predators
  • Insects
  • Slugs
  • Rodents
ThreatsHabitat loss, industrial pesticide overuse
HabitatsAgricultural fields, compost heaps, warm organic waste
Life span1–3 days (fruiting body)
Classification
  1. FamilyPluteaceae
  2. SpeciesVolvariella volvacea
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 wild mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Inspect the Base: Check for the prominent volva cup surrounding the lower stem.
  • Note Spore Color: Watch for gills turning salmon-pink as spores mature.
  • Search Warm Mulch: Look in warm, moist piles of decaying straw or organic compost.
Related species
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