I always wonder how they got this name.
this post was submitted on 20 Dec 2025
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Multiple sources seem to indicate that it's called the deceiver because its appearance is variable (cap shape, color, et al.), so it can be difficult to identify depending on which variation it presents.
Oh interesting. I'm more familiar with the amethyst deceiver which is pretty easy to ID but maybe it's related to this one and just inherited the name?
Yeah, it seems to be a name used for multiple species within the Laccaria genus. It might be like a metonym where one species name became the name for related species even if the trait that inspired the name isn't shared by all related species.