Spindleshank

Description:

The cap is convex, flattening with an irregular incurved margin at least until fully mature. It is 3 to 7 cm across and brownish, often with dark brown blotches. The gills of Gymnopus fusipes are white, tinged tan-brown, developing rusty spots. They are adnexed or free and very widely spaced. The stem is white near the apex, tan towards the base, spindle-shaped and usually grooved and sometimes lined longitudinally. It can grow 7 to 15 cm long and 0.8 to 1.5 cm in diameter and has no stem ring.

Habitat:

Gymnopus fusipes occurs in woodland and parkland throughout most of Europe, where it is particularly common in warm dry central and southern countries, and in many parts of Asia. In the USA and Canada this fungus is considered an invasive species. Gymnopus fusipes is parasitic/saprobic on the basal roots of mainly hardwood trees, especially oaks and less commonly beech.

Notes:

In the first three pictures a parasitic mold, possibly Spinellus fusiger, grows on the mushrooms. Spotted in Nieuwe Rande Forest in rural area of Deventer, Holland.