About Infundibulicybe geotropa (Bull.) Harmaja
This mushroom is cream or buff coloured, and its cap can grow up to 20 cm (8 inches) in diameter. Young specimens have a prominent central boss that appears small relative to their large stem. As the mushroom matures, its cap changes shape: it starts out convex with inrolled margins, and becomes more funnel shaped as it ages. The decurrent gills match the cap's cream or buff colour. The stipe is bulbous, wider at the base, and reaches 10–20 cm (4–8 inches) in height. This species produces a white spore print. It has a sweet odour that is compared to the scent of bitter almonds. Young specimens have firm, white flesh. Infundibulicybe geotropa, commonly called the trooping funnel, grows in mixed woodlands, particularly in grassy clearings, during autumn. It is often gregarious, can form fairy rings, and has a complex mycelium. It is abundant and widespread across Europe, where it occurs from August to November, and is less common in North America. A fairy ring of this species in Belfort, eastern France, has been reported to be over half a mile in diameter and estimated to be 800 years old; this is thought to be the largest known fairy ring.
