Brown roll-rim

About

The Brown roll-rim is a very common mushroom: it grows in almost all forests of the Carpathians, most often under birch, spruce, pine, and oak, at forest edges, in young growth, and even in old gardens. Fruiting bodies appear from July to October, often in large groups.

The cap is 5–15 cm, olive-brown or yellow-brown, funnel-shaped with age; its edge remains tightly curled downwards for a long time, and in wet weather, the cap is sticky. The gills are yellow-ochre, easily separable from the flesh, and run down the stem; if pressed, they quickly turn brown. The stem is short, dense, and the same color as the cap.

For a long time, the Brown roll-rim was considered conditionally edible, and in Ukraine, it is still often collected. However, in the 1980s, Swiss doctor René Flammer discovered that this mushroom contains a substance that causes the immune system to attack its own red blood cells. Such a reaction can develop suddenly even in people who have eaten the Brown roll-rim for years without problems, potentially resulting in severe kidney damage or death. In 1944, renowned German mycologist Julius Schaeffer died from poisoning by the Brown roll-rim.

Therefore, according to our safety rule, the Brown roll-rim is marked as poisonous. In Poland, it is not included in the official list of mushrooms permitted for sale. Do not collect the Brown roll-rim and do not advise soaking or boiling it for a long time: this does not neutralize the immune reaction.

Where in the Carpathians

The map shows where naturalists recorded the species (GBIF, CC0 and CC BY records), not every place it lives. The Ukrainian Carpathians are less studied, so a blank area does not mean the species is absent.

Countries

Ukraine · Czechia · Poland · Austria · Slovakia

Mountain ranges

Gorgany, Sądecki Beskids, Low Tatras, Pokuttia-Bukovina Carpathians

Altitude belts

Foothills (below 600 m) · Beech forests (600–1200 m) · Conifer forests (1200–1600 m)

When to see it

From naturalists’ observations in the Carpathians (iNaturalist, research grade): the darker the cell, the more often the species is seen that month.

Safety

Can cause a life-threatening immune reaction with destruction of red blood cells, even after many years of consumption without consequences. Soaking and boiling do not help. In case of poisoning, call 112.

Look-alikes — how to tell them apart

Protection and rules

Not protected. It is not advisable to destroy mushrooms in the forest: they are needed by the forest and animals.

FAQ