Entoloma

Entoloma (or pinkgills) is a genus of terrestrial pink-spored mushrooms. They have a drab appearance, pink gills which are attached to the stem, a smooth thick cap, and angular spores. Most Entolomas are saphrophytic. The best-known member of which is the poisonous livid agaric (Entoloma sinuatum), which is responsible for poisonings in Japan. Some southern hemisphere species found in Australia, Entoloma rodwayi and E. viridomarginatum are very colourful, with pilei of unusual shades of green and blue-green. Most Entolomas are dull shades of olive, brown, or grey and some are mycorrhizal.

Although some of the spring entolomas are consumed, especially in Europe, edibility is unknown for many species, and some are definitely poisonous and dangerous. E. rhodopolium has been found to contain significant quantities of the mycotoxin muscarine. Most Entolomas are very difficult to identify, but Entoloma abortivum is edible.

The genus as it stands appears to be polyphyletic when looking at data produced by the molecular study by Moncalvo in 2002, with species of Nolanea, Leptonia and Inocephalus interspersed with various pinkgill species in a broadly monophyletic entolomatoid group.