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Entoloma ferruginans

[Basidiomycota > Agaricales > Entolomataceae > Entoloma . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

Known only from California, this distinctive entolomatoid mushroom has a sticky, nearly black cap, gray gills that turn pink as the spores mature, a stem that tapers toward the base and often forms a small root, and a distinctive bleachlike odor. It is reminiscent of several species of Tricholoma in its stature and overall appearance. Under the microscope it features an ixocutis and abundant clamp connections, but lacks hymenial cystidia.

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic; growing alone, scattered, or gregariously under coast live oak and other oaks; winter; California.

Cap: 5-9 cm; convex to bell-shaped, becoming planoconvex to broadly bell-shaped; sticky when fresh; finely, innately streaked; very dark grayish brown to black when young, becoming dark gray to black with age; the margin not lined.

Gills: Narrowly attached to the stem; close or crowded; gray to dark gray at first, becoming pink; short-gills frequent.

Stem: 5-8 cm long; 1.5-2.5 cm thick; equal or, more commonly, tapering to base; often with an underground, rooting portion; dry; bald or finely silky; whitish to grayish above; whitish to yellowish below.

Flesh: Firm; grayish; unchanging when sliced.

Odor and Taste: Odor bleachlike, or strong and spicy, with an iron-like component (described by the original collector as "a strong odor resembling that of ferric chloride"); taste slightly mealy, or not distinctive.

Spore Print: Pink.

Microscopic Features: Spores 6-10 x 5-9 µ; 5- to 6-sided; heterodiametric or often nearly isodiametric; angular; smooth; hyaline. Hymenial cystidia absent. Pileipellis an ixocutis; hyaline to brownish in 10% ammonia, with intracellular pigment. Clamp connections present.


REFERENCES: Peck, 1895. (Largent, 1994.) Herb. Kuo 01161102.


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Entoloma ferruginans

Entoloma ferruginans

Entoloma ferruginans
Spores



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Kuo, M. (2014, February). Entoloma ferruginans. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/entoloma_ferruginans.html