--- title: Chlorophyllum rhacodes - Shaggy Parasol description: A post about Chlorophyllum rhacodes, its distribution and microscopic features image: https://dgpix.org.uk/hubfs/chlorophyllum-rhacodes_54789949643_o.jpg --- [Skip to content](https://dgpix.org.uk/blog/chlorophyllum-rhacodes-shaggy-parasol#main-content) [![](https://dgpix.org.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/DGPix%20Wildlife%20%26%20Nature%20Photography--1.png?width=400&height=400&name=DGPix%20Wildlife%20%26%20Nature%20Photography--1.png)Homepage](https://dgpix.org.uk/blog/dgpix.org.uk) - [Blog](https://dgpix.org.uk/blog) - [About](https://dgpix.org.uk/about) - [Gallery](https://dgpix.org.uk/image-gallery) - [Microscopic Mycology](https://dgpix.org.uk/microscopic-mycology) - [Resources](https://dgpix.org.uk/resources-reading) - [Moth Recording](https://dgpix.org.uk/moth-biodiversity) - [Blog](https://dgpix.org.uk/blog) - [About](https://dgpix.org.uk/about) - [Gallery](https://dgpix.org.uk/image-gallery) - [Microscopic Mycology](https://dgpix.org.uk/microscopic-mycology) - [Resources](https://dgpix.org.uk/resources-reading) - [Moth Recording](https://dgpix.org.uk/moth-biodiversity) ![](https://dgpix.org.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/chlorophyllum-rhacodes_54789949643_o.jpg?width=1730&height=2345&name=chlorophyllum-rhacodes_54789949643_o.jpg) microscopy microscopic citizen science # Chlorophyllum rhacodes - Shaggy Parasol ![Danny Gibson](https://7528315.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528315/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-cms-elevate-theme_hubspot/elevate/images/avatar-placeholder.jpg?width=48&height=48&name=avatar-placeholder.jpg) Danny Gibson September 29, 2025 Often found in mixed woodlands, gardens, and even roadside verges, *C. rhacodes* emerges from late summer into autumn. It’s typically solitary or in small groups, preferring rich, disturbed soils. **Key field features:** - **Cap**: Up to 15 cm wide, with concentric brown scales on a creamy background—giving it that “shaggy” look. - **Gills**: Free from the stem, crowded, and white to pale cream, turning reddish-brown with age or bruising. - **Stem**: Thick and fibrous, with a prominent movable ring. The base often swells and may bruise orange or reddish. - **Spore print**: White.   ![54820960954_260fc460e4_k](https://dgpix.org.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/54820960954_260fc460e4_k.jpg?width=2048&height=1365&name=54820960954_260fc460e4_k.jpg)****Shaggy Parasol showing typical scaly cap****   #### Distribution in Northern Ireland The Shaggy Parasol is a widespread but under-recorded species across Northern Ireland. According to data from the NBN Atlas there are numerous occurrence records scattered throughout the region, particularly areas with mixed woodland, parkland, and hedgerows. It’s most commonly spotted in: - **County Down**: Including sites near Bangor and the Ards Peninsula, where mature woodland and garden habitats provide ideal conditions. - **County Antrim**: Records cluster around Belfast’s outer green spaces and the wooded glens of the Antrim coast. - **County Armagh**: Woodland edges and disturbed soils near Craigavon and Portadown have yielded sightings, especially in late summer. - **County Fermanagh**: The species has been noted in wooded lake margins and estate grounds, though records are fewer here. - **County Londonderry**: Occasional finds in urban green spaces and rural hedgerows suggest a broader but patchy presence. ![chlorophyllum-rhacodes_54789949643_o](https://dgpix.org.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/chlorophyllum-rhacodes_54789949643_o.jpg?width=699&height=947&name=chlorophyllum-rhacodes_54789949643_o.jpg)****Shaggy Parasol pair in typical grassland habitat****   #### Spore Analysis   | Feature | Description | | --- | --- | | **Spore print color** | White | | **Shape** | Ellipsoid to ovoid | | **Size** | 8–12 × 6–8 µm | | **Surface** | Smooth | | **Reaction** | Non-amyloid |   ![chlorophyllum-rhacodes-spores_54789949488_o](https://dgpix.org.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/chlorophyllum-rhacodes-spores_54789949488_o.jpg?width=768&height=604&name=chlorophyllum-rhacodes-spores_54789949488_o.jpg)****Spores showing the shape and distinct size with germ pore****   #### Cystidia & Basidia Cheilocystidia are specialized sterile cells found along the edges of the gills in many species. In this species, the cheilocystidia are typically thin-walled and variable in shape—ranging from cylindrical to slightly clavate (club-shaped). They are not particularly prominent or diagnostic on their own, but their presence can help distinguish *C. rhacodes* from similar species when combined with other microscopic features. Under high magnification, these cells appear translucent and often lack pigmentation, making them easier to observe in water mounts.  ![chlorophyllum-rhacodes-cheliocystidia_54790026180_o](https://dgpix.org.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/chlorophyllum-rhacodes-cheliocystidia_54790026180_o.jpg?width=576&height=666&name=chlorophyllum-rhacodes-cheliocystidia_54790026180_o.jpg)****Cystidia showing club shape **** Basidia are the spore-producing cells found on the gill surfaces of *Chlorophyllum rhacodes*, playing a central role in its reproductive cycle. These microscopic structures are typically club-shaped and measure around 25–35 µm in length. Each basidium usually bears four sterigmata—tiny projections that hold the developing spores. When mature, the spores are forcibly discharged into the air, contributing to the fungus’s dispersal. Under the microscope, basidia appear as translucent, swollen cells nestled among the gill tissue, often interspersed with sterile elements like cheilocystidia. ![chlorophyllum-rhacodes-basidia_54789687521_o](https://dgpix.org.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/chlorophyllum-rhacodes-basidia_54789687521_o.jpg?width=672&height=474&name=chlorophyllum-rhacodes-basidia_54789687521_o.jpg)****Basidia with 4 spores attached ****             ## Share this post [mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fdgpix.org.uk%2Fblog%2Fchlorophyllum-rhacodes-shaggy-parasol](mailto:https%3A%2F%2Fdgpix.org.uk%2Fblog%2Fchlorophyllum-rhacodes-shaggy-parasol) ## Keep reading ### [![](https://dgpix.org.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/55231649918_aba43e3665_o.jpg?width=2615&height=1333&name=55231649918_aba43e3665_o.jpg) data nature science Brackagh Moss Moths April/May 2026](https://dgpix.org.uk/blog/brackagh-moss-moths-april/may-2026) ### [![](https://dgpix.org.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/20260606_200801(1)-1.jpg?width=2252&height=1648&name=20260606_200801(1)-1.jpg) data insects moth Testing out the Watkins & Doncaster 30W LED 12v Heath Trap](https://dgpix.org.uk/blog/testing-out-the-watkins-doncaster-30w-led-12v-heath-trap) [![](https://dgpix.org.uk/hs-fs/hubfs/DGPix%20Wildlife%20%26%20Nature%20Photography--1.png?width=400&height=400&name=DGPix%20Wildlife%20%26%20Nature%20Photography--1.png)](https://dgpix.org.uk) - [Blog](https://dgpix.org.uk/blog) - [About](https://dgpix.org.uk/about) - [Gallery](https://dgpix.org.uk/image-gallery) - [Microscopic Mycology](https://dgpix.org.uk/microscopic-mycology) - [Resources](https://dgpix.org.uk/resources-reading) - [Moth Recording](https://dgpix.org.uk/moth-biodiversity) --- Privacy Policy · Legal · © 2026 DGPix Wildlife & Nature Photography. 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