Porcelain fungus

About

Oudemansiella mucida is called the Porcelain fungus — and for good reason. The cap is 2–8 cm in diameter, white or ivory-colored, thin and semi-transparent, covered with a thick layer of clear slime. It glows against the light, resembling porcelain. The gills are white, broad, and sparse. The stem is thin, rigid, with a narrow ring, brownish at the base.

This fungus grows almost exclusively on beech: in groups and clusters on the trunks and thick branches of dead and weakened trees, often high above the ground. Fruiting bodies appear from August to November, with the most in September and October.

In the Carpathians, where beech is the main forest species, Oudemansiella mucida is common in beech and beech-fir forests from the foothills to the upper limit of beech. It is especially abundant in old forests and primeval forests, where dead wood remains. In autumn, the white clusters on gray trunks create one of the most striking images of the beech forest.

The fungus secretes a substance that suppresses other fungi competing for the same wood. Based on this discovery, a whole group of plant protection agents has been developed.

Guides mention Oudemansiella mucida as edible after removing the slime, but it has almost no taste or food value. We do not recommend collecting it: better to take a photo. It is difficult to confuse with poisonous fungi on beeches, but white mushrooms on the ground are a completely different matter: among them are deadly poisonous fly agarics.

Where in the Carpathians

Teal — roughly where the species can occur, by elevation and habitat; orange — where naturalists recorded it (GBIF, CC0/CC BY).

Range: elevation belt and forests — our model (AWS Terrain Tiles; © OpenStreetMap)

Countries

Ukraine · Slovakia · Romania · Poland · Czechia · Hungary

Mountain ranges

nearly all Carpathian ranges, in the forest belt

Altitude belts

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

It has almost no food value; we do not recommend collecting it. White mushrooms growing on the ground may be deadly poisonous fly agarics. Never identify a mushroom based solely on a photo. In case of suspected poisoning, call 103 (or 112).

Protection and rules

Not listed in the Red Book of Ukraine.

FAQ