The Amethyst Laccaria Chosen as Mushroom of the Year in Latvia 0 13

The Amethyst Laccaria is a small bright purple mushroom that looks like a tiny amethyst — a quartz crystal used in jewelry — on the forest floor. When wet, the mushroom can be purple, dark reddish-brown, or dark bluish-purple, and after drying, it becomes almost white. The cap diameter usually ranges from 2 to 5 centimeters, the stem is thin, purple-brown, and the gills are bluish-purple and sparse.

The Latvian Mycological Society calls attention to the Amethyst Laccaria to remind us that mushrooms are not only the visible part, the fruiting body, but also the mycelium located underground — the most important part of the fungus. The Amethyst Laccaria forms mycorrhiza — a close partnership with plant roots that helps plants absorb nutrients and water, while the fungus receives essential substances for growth.

The Amethyst Laccaria can be found in the autumn in deciduous and mixed forests, particularly in nitrogen-rich soils. In Latvia, it is relatively rare. The mushroom predominantly grows in the temperate forests of Europe, but it has also been found in Asia, Central, South, and North America.

The Amethyst Laccaria is edible; however, due to its small size, it is difficult to collect. Nevertheless, it is harvested and consumed in many countries around the world. After thermal processing, the mushroom partially retains its color and can be used decoratively when serving dishes. Like many other mushrooms, the Amethyst Laccaria can accumulate toxic substances, especially arsenic, so it is not recommended to collect it in areas with a potential risk of contamination.

The Amethyst Laccaria can be confused with other mushrooms of similar coloration — the paler Mycena pura, which has a pronounced radish smell, as well as members of the Cortinarius and Lepista genera that are purple in color.

Mycologists urge people to report found Amethyst Laccarias in forests on the portal "dabasdati.lv," in its mobile application, or in the iNaturalist app to promote a better understanding of the distribution of this species and fungal diversity in Latvia.

According to the archive of the LETA agency, the mushroom of the year 2025 was the colorful Hygrocybe (Gliophorus psittacinus), and in 2024, this title was awarded to the blue-green Chlorociboria (Chlorociboria aeruginascens).

The Latvian Mycological Society was founded in 2002 and brings together both professional researchers of fungi, lichens, and slime molds, as well as amateur enthusiasts and passionate mushroom foragers.