Amethyst Deceiver, lacaria amatista

Description:

Laccaria amethystina a small brightly colored, edible mushroom, that grows in deciduous as well as coniferous forests. Because its bright amethyst coloration fades with age and weathering, it becomes difficult to identify, hence the common name ‘Deceiver’. This common name is shared with its close relation Laccaria laccata that also fades and weathers. The cap is up to 5 cm in diameter, and is initially convex, later flattening, and often with a central depression (navel). When moist it is a deep purplish lilac, which fades upon drying out. It is sometimes slightly scurfy at the center, and has pale striations at the margin The stem is the same colour as the cap but paler, and has whitish fibrils at the base, which become mealy at the top. It is fibrous, hollow, fairly tough when rolled in the fingers. The flesh is without a distinctive taste or smell, and is thin, with pale lilac coloration. The gills are colored as the cap, often quite distantly spaced, and are dusted by the white spores; their attachment to the stem is sinuate—having a concave indentation before attaching to the stem.[

Habitat:

It is found mainly in Northern temperate zones, though it is reported to occur in tropical Central and South America as well. This one was photographed in a small oak forest

Notes:

spanish name: lacaria amatista Camera Model: NIKON D300 Exposure Time: 1/10 sec., f/8 ISO 1 EV below 200 Focal Length: 90.0 mm Objective lens: Tamron SP 90 AF f/2.8 72E. Flash fired