Lepiota

Lepiota is a genus of small to medium-sized gilled mushrooms in the family Agaricaceae. The name derives from the Greek lepis, meaning scale, referring to the scaly cap surface seen in many species. Lepiota mushrooms are commonly called dapperlings and are found worldwide, growing on soil, leaf litter, grass, or decaying wood as saprotrophs.

Fruit bodies are usually small, with caps roughly 1–5 cm across (occasionally larger), convex to flat and often marked by scales or a pattern of color toward the center. Caps are typically white to pale yellow-brown. The gills are free or nearly free and produce a white to pale spore print. The stipe is slender and may bear remnants of a veil. Colors range from white to cream, yellow, or brown, depending on species.

Toxicity: several Lepiota species are poisonous and can be deadly. They contain toxins such as amatoxins, which can cause severe liver damage if ingested. Notable poisonous species include Lepiota brunneoincarnata and Lepiota subincarnata, which have caused fatalities. Due to their small size and white spores, Lepiota mushrooms can be mistaken for edible forms, so positive identification is essential and many authorities advise avoiding consumption of Lepiota species altogether.

Ecology and taxonomy: Lepiota forms part of the broad Agaricaceae family. Molecular studies have led to taxonomic revisions, and related species are sometimes placed in different, but nearby, genera such as Macrolepiota. The genus comprises a variety of species with similar delicate appearances, most of which prefer temperate environments but occur in various regions worldwide.