Fauna
Fungus

Spring Fieldcap

Agrocybe praecox

Also known as Spring Agrocybe, Early Agrocybe

Spring fieldcaps appear in early spring across woodchip beds, garden mulches, lawns, and rich soil, signaling the start of the mushroom season. Their smooth, cream-to-tan caps feature a delicate ring on the upper stalk and often show cracking along the margins as they age in warm weather. As saprotrophic fungi, they break down decaying wood mulch and organic debris, enriching surrounding soil with recycled nutrients.

SpringSaprophyteGilled Mushroom
Spring Fieldcap reference1 / 7
Alan Rockefeller / CC BY 4.0 · 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 & preyWoodchips, Decaying leaf litter, Organic soil matter
Predators
  • Fungus gnats
  • Slugs
  • Rodents
ThreatsFungicide application, intensive lawn management
HabitatsWoodchip beds, garden mulch, lawns, forest clearings, roadside soil
Life spanFruiting body lasts 3–7 days; mycelium lives indefinitely
Classification
  1. OrderAgaricales
  2. FamilyStrophariaceae
  3. GenusAgrocybe
  4. SpeciesAgrocybe praecox
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
Wild mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Spore Print: Collect falling spores on white paper to confirm their dark chocolate-brown color.
  • Substrate Inspection: Look around the base to trace white mycelial threads threading through woodchips.
  • Stem Ring: Check the upper stem for a delicate membranous ring that often catches dustings of brown spores.
Related species
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