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I am not a mushroom expert, so I couldn`t find out the exact type of fungi this was. The stipe is a soft tan color and the volva (bottom) of the mushroom is thicker than the rest of it. The annulus is the distinctive ring around the stripe which was about 2/3 up the mushroom. The pileus (top) of it was white with a few tan scales. It resembled a lightly toasted marshmallow. They were about 3 inches in height and were very squishy.
These mushrooms found a home in my front yard in the mulch (they are particularly prevalent in mulch that is very thick- about 3-4 inches deeps). They can also be found in buried wood, roots, under lawns, pastures, forests, leaves, logs, limbs, or other organic matter. Some unusual spots they can be found include basements, plaster board walls, and flower pots in houses.
Due to the wide variety of climates, soils and plant communities, North Carolina has one of the greatest diversity of species of mushrooms and fungi of any state in the U.S. Most mushrooms occur from spring to fall after rains, but they may be found all year depending on temperature and moisture in the air.
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