Deer Shield
Pluteus cervinus
Safety assessment
Edible
Based on reviewed safety sources.
The deer shield is a brown mushroom with free, pink gills growing on rotting broadleaf wood, often on stumps. It is edible, but must be separated from other Pluteus species, including incidentally psychoactive ones.
Identification
- Cap grey-brown with darker fibres; gills white at first, later pink.
- Grows on rotting broadleaf wood; stem has no ring and no volva.
Baltic distribution
- Latvia
- 58
- Lithuania
- 11
- Estonia
- 352
- Global
- 62759
Occurrence records in GBIF — not a claim that the species is absent elsewhere.
Safety first. This information is an educational reference, not a confirmation of an edible mushroom. Identifying fungi is difficult and mistakes can be dangerous. Never eat a mushroom unless you are completely certain of its identity, and consult a certified mycologist.
