8 Common Mushrooms Found in Nevada! (2025)
What kind of mushroom did I find in Nevada?
If you spend time outside, you’ve probably asked this question at least once. Mushrooms are incredibly common in Nevada, and they come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.
Believe it or not, there are THOUSANDS of different types of mushrooms that live in Nevada. Since it would be nearly impossible to write about them all, I focused on the most common types that are seen.
IMPORTANT: You should NEVER eat a mushroom you find. There are many poisonous types, and some species will kill you. So stay safe, and don’t eat any wild mushrooms unless you are with a mycologist (mushroom expert)!
8 COMMON MUSHROOMS in Nevada:
#1. Fly Agaric
- Amanita muscaria
Identifying Characteristics:
- Caps are 8–20 cm (3–8 in) in diameter.
- The stalks are 5–20 cm (2–8 in) tall.
- These mushrooms have the typical looks of a “toadstool” with a bright white stalk and red, white-spotted cap.
I think this is the CUTEST mushroom in Nevada! 🙂
Fly Agaric looks just like the mushrooms found in Mario video games.
These mushrooms are considered toadstools, which are usually poisonous to humans. Fly Agaric is no exception. This fungus can cause hallucinations, low blood pressure, nausea, loss of balance, and in rare cases, death. If you ingest it, you should seek medical treatment immediately.
Luckily, Fly Agaric is a very conspicuous fungus in its fully-grown form. However, young mushrooms can be mistaken for other edible types, so you should steer clear of eating any wild mushrooms.
#2. Shaggy Mane
- Coprinus comatus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The caps are 4–8 cm (1.6–3.1 in) wide and 6–20 cm (2.3–8 in) tall.
- Their coloring is white when they first emerge, slowly turning black as their scales lift.
- These mushrooms grow directly from the ground as single caps or clusters.
It’s easy to see how Shaggy Mane Mushrooms in Nevada got their name!
These tall, slender mushrooms have distinctive scales that make them look like they’re covered in shaggy hair. They often grow in suburban yards or fields straight from the ground.
Shaggy Manes definitely have some “yuck” factors. They’re called Ink Caps because their black gills liquefy and leak down the mushroom to release its spores. Additionally, the entire mushroom will “auto-decay,” digesting itself into a dark liquid within hours of being picked.
Shaggy Manes look very similar to poisonous mushrooms that are found in Nevada. Leave these mushrooms where you found them, and never eat them!
#3. Mica Cap
- Coprinellus micaceus
Identifying Characteristics:
- The bell-shaped caps are 1–2.5 cm (.5–1 in) in diameter when new and expand up to 5 cm (2 in) as they open.
- These mushrooms grow in dense clusters of bell-shaped caps with long, thin stems. The caps have grooves that run vertically, giving them the appearance of a head of straight hair.
- Their coloring is grayish brown.
This unassuming mushroom has a creepy talent – it can self-destruct! Mica Cap autodigests within a few hours of being picked, meaning its flesh turns from a spongy white structure into an inky black liquid. Yuck!
Mica Cap is usually found in clusters at the base of deciduous trees in mature forests. This mushroom’s less-than-appetizing qualities are just one reason I recommend never eating wild mushrooms. Additionally, there’s a high likelihood of ingesting a poisonous mushroom by mistake.
If you see Mica Cap in the wild, it’s best to take a picture of the fascinating clusters and then leave it be. After all, if you pick it, you’re likely to be covered in gross black goo!
#4. Candleflame Lichen
- Candelaria concolor
Identifying Characteristics:
- Single lobes of this lichen are less than 1 cm (0.4 in) wide, but they can cover enormous surface areas, including entire trees.
- The coloring is golden yellow to yellow-green.
- This lichen has a branch-like appearance, similar in shape to coral.
Candleflame Lichen is technically NOT a mushroom in Nevada.
Instead, lichens are complex organisms that involve a symbiotic relationship between fungus and algae. The mutually beneficial relationship allows lichens to survive in habitats that would kill fungi and algae independently.
For example, Candleflame Lichen can be found anywhere from arid deserts to wet conifer forests. It’s one of the most widespread lichens in the world! Look for this lichen on trees, where it attaches to tree bark and slowly spreads.
#5. Desert Shaggymane
- Podaxis pistillaris
- Cap is scaly or shaggy, whitish to pale brown, and oval when young, becoming cylindrical as it ages.
- White or brownish, woody stems attached to the caps and buried in the sand at the base.
- The cap’s interior is filled with gill-like plates, which start off whitish and mature to brown before turning into a black powder.
As its name suggests, this unusual mushroom tolerates very dry habitats in Nevada!
Desert Shaggymane grows in fields, wastelands, and arid deserts.
While they don’t look very similar, Desert Shaggymanes are related to Puffballs and have a similar reproductive strategy. As the interior of the Desert Shaggymane Cap matures, the outer layer begins to shred, releasing the black spore powder within.
This odd-looking mushroom has some equally odd uses. While it’s not poisonous, people don’t generally eat Desert Shaggymane. Historically, people have used it to dye textiles and as a fly repellent. Some Australian aboriginal people also used the Desert Shaggymane as a hair dye and body paint.
#6. Yellow Cobblestone Lichen
- Acarospora socialis
- Coloring may be yellow-green, shades of yellow, or bleach white.
- Grows up to four inches wide.
- Lichen has a cracked, broken, or cobblestone-like appearance.
These colorful lichens look a bit like cracked yellow paint.
Yellow Cobblestone lichens usually form on rock, including sandstone and granite, but are occasionally seen on soil. They can tolerate all sorts of light conditions and grow on flat surfaces or even vertical rock.
Yellow Cobblestone Lichen is known as a pioneering species, meaning it will be the first species to colonize bare rock. Like other lichens, it produces a mild acid that slowly breaks down rock, forming soil and paving the way for other plants to grow.
#7. Elegant Sunburst Lichen
- Rusavskia elegans
- It forms small colonies up to 2.5 inches across.
- The body is leaf-like and divided into small lobes.
- The color may be yellowish-orange, bright orange, or dark reddish-orange.
Elegant Sunburst Lichen is more than just a beauty to look at!
This was the first species scientists used for lichenometry, or using a lichen’s presumed growth rate to estimate the age of exposed rock faces. Archeologists, paleontologists, and geologists, in particular, use this method to estimate how old the specimens they find might be.
Elegant Sunburst Lichen is widespread, growing on rocks in humid and dry climates. Pay special attention to rocks that birds or rodents perch on because their droppings provide the lichen with the extra nitrogen it needs to thrive.
Its color may vary depending on where you find it. Elegant Sunburst Lichen is often a lighter yellowish-orange when growing in creeks. On rocks that are out of the water, it tends to be bright orange; in dry areas, it may darken to reddish-orange.
#8. Wolf Lichen
- Letharia vulpina
- This lichen forms a small, highly branched, shrub-like structure.
- Its coloring is bright yellow or yellow-green.
This lichen grows on trees and branches in coniferous forests. Unlike some lichens that are essential food sources for wildlife like deer, Wolf lichens are toxic.
It gets its name from a dark history. Historically, people dried and powdered Wolf Lichen and sprinkled it on meat to poison wolves and foxes. People have also used Wolf Lichen in less harmful ways. Modern researchers have found that powdered Wolf Lichen can prevent slugs and snails from invading your garden. Lightly dusting dried Wolf Lichen can deter these pests. Some Native American groups also used Wolf Lichen medicinally or to create yellow dyes.
However, it’s probably best to leave Wolf Lichen where it is. Colonies of this beautiful species may live for thousands of years, but it’s dwindling in some areas as it is sensitive to air pollution.
Learn about other awesome things in Nevada!
- VENOMOUS SPIDERS found in Nevada
- Flowers that attract HUMMINGBIRDS in Nevada
- The MOST Common INSECTS that live in Nevada
Which type of mushroom is your favorite?
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