Deceptive

Walking through woodland in autumn is always a delight. The sights and smells are fascinating. I’m delighted when I find a Deceiver, Laccaria laccata. It’s an orange fungal fruit-body which is easily mistaken for many other species. I hold it in my hand as we wander through the leaves on the outskirts of a wood. I’m looking for its relative, the Amethyst Deceiver, Laccaria amethystina. And here it is:

I take a couple of phone photographs.

Perfect.

People often ask what’s deceptive about the Amethyst Deceiver. The answer is nothing. It’s simply purple and a relative of the Deceiver.