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Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, commonly known as the False Chanterelle, is an orange funnel-shaped mushroom which has been confused at times with the true chanterelles, however recent work shows its affinity lies with the Boletes in the order Boletales.[1]
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The False chanterelle has an orange cap up to 8 cm across, initially convex but becoming funnel-shaped. The decurrent gill-like structures are orange and forked, which is a distinctive and distinguishing feature. The spore print is white. The orange stipe is up to 5 cm high and lacks a ring.[2]
It is widely distributed in Europe and North America, being found in both hardwood and conifer forests, in summer and autumn. It fruits from the ground or from decaying wood.[3]
It has been described as edible (though not tasty) by some experts, but other authors describe it as poisonous.[3] This mushroom contains high levels of arabitol, which may account for the gastrointestinal symptoms some people experience. Recent taxonomic research has demonstrated that Hygrophoropsis is a close relative Paxillus, a genus that includes Paxillus involutus, a species known to have cumulative autoimmune toxicity. Hence, some guides recommend avoiding consumption of Hygrophoropsis as well.[4]
This mushroom is commonly confused with the Chanterelle; the distinguishing factors are color (true Chanterelle is uniform egg-yellow, while the false one is more orange in hue and graded, with darker center) and attachment of gills to the stem (true Chanterelle does not have true, blade-like gills--rather, has rib-like folds running down the stem).
The poisonous jack-o'-lantern mushrooms are also sometimes confused with Chanterelles; straight, non-forked true gills is one of the factors distinguishing them from true Chanterelles.