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Lacrymaria velutina [ Basidiomycetes > Agaricales > Coprinaceae > Psathyrella . . . ] by Michael Kuo This lawn and garden dweller, formerly known as Psathyrella velutina, is widely distributed on the continent, and easily recognized by its dark, mottled gills, its blackish brown spore print, its hairy ("fibrillose," in Mycologese) cap, and the ring zone on its stem. It was always rather un-Psathyrella-ish, and mycologists over the years have debated where to place it. Recent DNA studies (see Moncalvo et al., 2002) have confirmed that, while it is closely related to species in Psathyrella, it belongs outside that genus. Edibility for Lacrymaria velutina is suspect. Most field guides list it as edible but "not recommended." It is unclear whether any poisonings have resulted from the mushroom itself--or whether toxic substrates, or simple misidentification, might be to blame. It could be confused with some species of Inocybe, several of which are deadly poisonous. And while I said that it is "easily recognized," above, I am constantly amazed at the identification mistakes I encounter in "I ate this, what is it?" e-mails. All in all, Lacrymaria velutina is probably best admired, and not eaten. Even if it isn't attractive from a culinary standpoint, Lacrymaria velutina is a big thrill for mushroom geeks like me; like Pluteus cervinus, it is one of those species with fascinating microscopic features that are not predicted by its drab macrofeatures. The spores (see illustration) are "roughened" or finely "warty," and have little snouts--while the gill faces have prominent cystidia (specialized sterile cells; see illustration) that can be seen even at lower magnifications, and typically cluster together in groups of three or four. How much more action-packed could a mushroom be? Description: Ecology: Saprobic; growing alone, gregariously, or in clusters on lawns, in pastures, along roads and in gravelly soil; sometimes in woods; summer through fall; widely distributed in North America. Cap: 5-10 cm; convex when young, expanding to broadly convex, flat, or very broadly bell-shaped; dry; densely hairy but sometimes becoming more or less smooth in age; the margin sometimes with hanging partial veil remnants; yellow-brown or darker. Gills: Attached to the stem or free from it; crowded; pale at first, later dark brown and mottled. Stem: 5-15 cm long; .5-1.5 cm thick; equal, or with a swollen base; hairy; with a fragile ring or a ring zone that is darkened by spores; white above, pale brownish below; hollow. Flesh: Thick; brownish. Spore Print: Dark brown. Microscopic Features: Spores 8-12 x 5-8 µ; elliptical; finely warty. Pleurocystidia 48-62 x 9-14 µ, clavate to utriform, often clustered in threes or fours. REFERENCES: (Persoon ex Fries) Singer. (Smith, Smith & Weber, 1979; Arora, 1986; Phillips, 1991/2005; Lincoff, 1992.) Herb. Kuo 09229601, 07250301. Psathyrella velutina is a former name. Psathyrella lacrymabunda is seen as a synonym by some authors, but is probably a separate, smooth-spored species, now called Lacrymaria lacrymabunda. Further Online Information: Psathyrella velutina at Fungi of Poland |
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Cite this page as: Kuo, M. (2003, August). Lacrymaria velutina. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/lacrymaria_velutina.html |