Entoloma prunuloides

The most distinctive identifying feature of Entoloma prunuloides is its mealy smell, present throughout the whole fungus. The cap is convex to flat with a broad umbo, up to 70 mm (2.75 in) across, smooth to finely fibrillose, and colored cream to ochraceous grey.

The gills start white and turn pink as the spores mature, a typical trait of pinkgills. The stipe reaches up to 80 mm (3 in) tall, is smooth and finely fibrillose, white, and lacks a ring. The spore print is pink, and under a microscope the spores appear multi-angled and inamyloid, measuring about 6.5 to 8 by 6.5 to 8 μm.

Entoloma prunuloides is rare but widespread across Europe. It favors old, agriculturally unimproved grassland with a short sward, including traditional pastures and lawns that have escaped intensive management.

Observation records show a strong seasonal pattern, with most sightings clustered in the warmer months and a pronounced peak in late summer, suggesting this is when fruiting bodies are most often seen above ground.

Entoloma prunuloides is assessed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, reflecting genuine concern for its long-term survival. The species is typical of waxcap grasslands, a habitat that has been declining across Europe as agricultural practices shift toward more intensive management.

This loss of old, unimproved pastureland is the main threat identified for the species, since it depends on exactly the kind of long-established, low-input grassland that is increasingly rare.

1. The Mealy Pinkgill's recommended English name comes directly from its distinctive mealy odor, a trait shared with only a few related species.
2. It belongs to a group of European fungi collectively known as "pinkgills," named for their pink spore prints rather than any pink coloring on the cap or stem.