The Latin specific name, caperatus, means wrinkled, and refers to the distinctive texture of the cap.

It can resemble a number of other species, including the poisonous Inosperma erubescens in central Europe in summer.

Fruiting bodies of C. caperatus appear in northern parts of Europe and North America in addition to temperate Asia.

The mushrooms have been found to bioaccumulate mercury and radioactive isotopes of caesium and can also be infested by maggots.

The mushroom was originally described as Agaricus caperatus in 1796 by South African mycologist Christiaan Hendrik Persoon, who noted it grew in beech woods.

[4] Later it was transferred to Pholiota in 1874 by French mycologist Claude Casimir Gillet,[5] a placement followed by Italian naturalist Pier Andrea Saccardo.

[16] Similar-looking North American species include Agrocybe praecox, which lacks the wrinkled cap and is found in cultivated areas, and Phaeolepiota aurea, which has powdery-granular surface.

[14] In central Europe, old specimens could be mistaken for the highly poisonous Inosperma erubescens in summer, and young mushrooms for the inedible Cortinarius traganus, although the latter is readily distinguished by its unpleasant odour.

[22] It is widely found in northern parts of North America,[14] as far south as Mendocino County on the west coast.

[26] Fruiting bodies sprout from August to October in conifer and beech woods, as well as heather (often close by sphagnum) in Scotland.

[28] It prefers acidic and sandy soils and avoids chalky ones,[29] and may be found in the same habitats as bay bolete (Imleria badia), brown roll-rim (Paxillus involutus), and chanterelles.

[24] The popularity of C. caperatus across Europe has led to safety concerns related to its propensity to accumulate contaminants.

[32] Fungi are very efficient at absorbing radioactive isotopes of caesium from the soil and naturally have trace amounts of the element.

This is a potential health issue as picking and eating wild mushrooms is a popular pastime in central and eastern Europe.

[2] The mushroom can have a faintly bitter taste if eaten raw, but a pleasant nutty flavour when cooked.