rosy-gill fairy helmet

Description:

One of the larger Mycena species, Mycena galericulata is found in spring and fall, growing in clusters on hardwood logs and stumps throughout eastern North America and along the West Coast. The brown to pale brownish caps reach five or six centimeters in diameter. As with other Mycenas, the spore print is white--but the gills are often pink at maturity, causing potential confusion with species of Pluteus. Mycena galericulata is very similar to Mycena inclinata; in theory the latter species differs in its frequently toothed or fringed young cap margin, the presence of yellow shades on the upper stem (and often the cap) and reddish brown shades on the lower stem, and its stronger mealy odor. See the linked page for further comparison of the two species, as well as discussion of other look-alikes. ( http://www.mushroomexpert.com/mycena_gal... )

Habitat:

location: North America, Europe edibility: Inedible fungus colour: Grey to beige normal size: 5-15cm cap type: Conical or nearly so stem type: Stem much longer than cap diameter flesh: Mushroom has distinct or odd smell (non mushroomy) spore colour: White, cream or yellowish habitat: Grows in woods, Grows on wood Mycena galericulata (Scop. ex Fr.) S.F. Gray syn. M. rugosa (Fr.) Quél. Rosablättriger Helmling Mycène à bonnet, Mycène casqué Common Bonnet. Cap 2–6cm across, conical expanding to bell-shaped with broad umbo, brown or grey-brown with paler margin which is distinctly lined. Stem 20–100 x 3–8mm, concolorous with cap, paler near apex, hollow but tough, base covered in fine white fibrils and often rooting. Flesh thin, white. Taste mild, smell mealy when crushed, rancid. Gills adnate with decurrent tooth, white at first becoming flesh-pink. Cheilocystidia clavate covered with relatively long filiform processes. Spore print cream. Spores ellipsoid, amyloid, 9–12 x 6–8um. Basidia often two-spored. Habitat in clusters on stumps and fallen branches of broad-leaved trees. Season all year. Common. Edible – not worthwhile -avoid. Distribution, America and Europe ( http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/D... )

Notes:

One of the larger members of the genus, Mycena galericulata is recognized by a pale-brown, striate-wrinkled cap, clustered habit on decaying hardwood logs, and a rooting, hairy stipe. It is most likely to be confused with two other wood-rotting Mycenas, M. maculata and M. haematopus. Mycena maculata is similarly colored and equally common, but can be distinguished by sordid reddish-brown discolorations which develop in age. Mycena haematopus differs in having a vinaceous-brown cap with a minutely scalloped margin, and has a stipe that bleeds reddish-brown juice when injured ( http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Mycen... ), ( http://www.soortenbank.nl/soorten.php?so... ),