Entoloma is a large
genus of terrestrial pink-gilled
mushrooms, with about 1000 species. They have a drab appearance, pink
gills which are attached to the
stem, a smooth thick
cap, and angular
spores. Most entolomas are
saprobic. The best-known member of which is the livid agaric (
Entoloma sinuatum) responsible for a number of poisonings over the years in
Europe and
North America, and
Entoloma rhodopolium in
Japan. Some
southern hemisphere species found in
Australia,
Entoloma rodwayi and
Entoloma viridomarginatum, and
Entoloma hochstetteri from
New Zealand, are very colourful, with caps of unusual shades of green and blue-green. Most entolomas are dull shades of olive, brown, or grey and some are
mycorrhizal.