Fungus · GBIF taxon 7446067
Deer Mushroom
Pluteus cervinusAlso known as Deer Shield, Fawn Mushroom
Deer mushrooms are abundant saprotrophs that break down decaying hardwood and softwood logs, returning vital nutrients to forest soils. They are recognized by their smooth brown caps, free gills that turn salmon-pink as spores mature, and a strict habit of growing on dead wood or woody debris. Under a microscope, their cap tissue reveals distinctive horned cystidia that resemble tiny deer antlers.
ForestDecomposerWood-Decaying
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Decaying Hardwood
- Decaying Softwood
- Wood Chips
Predators
- Fungus Gnats
- Slugs
- Springtails
ThreatsDeforestation and intensive forestry removing deadwood habitat
HabitatsDeciduous and mixed forests, woodlands, parks, gardens
Life spanFruit bodies last 3–7 days; underlying mycelium persists indefinitely
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAgaricales
- FamilyPluteaceae
- GenusPluteus
- SpeciesPluteus cervinus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- 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
- Habitat Spotting: Look for solitary or small clustered caps growing directly on decaying logs, stumps, or woodchips.
- Gill Inspection: Check that the gills are completely free from the stem and turn salmon-pink in older specimens.
- Spore Print: Collect a spore print overnight on white paper to confirm the distinctive salmon-pink spore color.
Competitor (c) Nathan Wilson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Co-Occurring Fungus Jerzy Opioła / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) mycowalt, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by mycowalt · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Bill Sheehan, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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