Marasmius siccus

[ Basidiomycetes > Agaricales > Marasmiaceae > Marasmius . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

Arising from hardwood leaves and sticks, these tiny orange beach umbrellas are quite beautiful when fresh. The orange, pleated cap, the wiry stem, and the very distant gills make this Marasmius easy to recognize. Other "pinwheel" Marasmius species include Marasmius rotula and Marasmius capillaris, with a white caps; Marasmius pulcherripes, with a pink cap; and Marasmius fulvoferrugineus, with a rusty brown cap. The orange color of Marasmius siccus fades in age or in dry weather; then it has less distinctive colors.

If you are wondering whether Marasmius siccus is edible, you have reached new heights in edible mushroom desperation. The answer is "I don't know," but I imagine the experience would be a bit like eating orange postage stamps, and you would need dozens to make a mouthful!

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic on leaf litter and woody debris in hardwood forests (sometimes on the needle duff of White Pine); growing gregariously; summer and fall; east of the Rocky Mountains.

Cap: .5-3 cm; cushion-shaped or bell-shaped, with a knob or a central depression; conspicuously pleated; smooth or minutely roughened; dry; orange when fresh, fading to pale orange.

Gills: Attached to the stem or free from it; very distant; white to pale yellowish.

Stem: 2.5-6.5 cm long; about 1 mm thick; equal; dry; wiry; whitish or yellowish above, brown toward the base; smooth; basal mycelium white.

Flesh: Thin; insubstantial.

Odor and Taste: Taste mild or slightly bitter; odor not distinctive.

Spore Print: White.

Microscopic Features: Spores 16-23 x 3-4.5 µ; smooth; spindle-shaped or club-shaped. Cystidia with refractive contents present on gill faces; dextrinoid broom cells present on gill edges. Pileipellis with dextrinoid broom cells.

REFERENCES: (Schweinitz, 1822) Fries, 1822. (Saccardo, 1887; Kauffman, 1918; Gilliam, 1976; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1979; Arora, 1986; Phillips, 1991/2005; Lincoff, 1992; Horn, Kay & Abel, 1993; Barron, 1999; McNeil, 2006; Miller & Miller, 2006.) Herb. Kuo 08040301.

Further Online Information:

Marasmius siccus at Roger's Mushrooms

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Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2004, November). Marasmius siccus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/marasmius_siccus.html