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Xeromphalina tenuipes

[ Basidiomycota > Agaricales > Mycenaceae > Xeromphalina . . . ]

by Michael Kuo

Xeromphalina tenuipes is a late-spring, early-summer species from eastern North America's hardwood forests. It is easily overlooked--especially since its caps are fairly small and orangish brown, like the caps of many boring little mushrooms. But close examination in this case reveals a gorgeously fuzzy stem surface, along with cool microscopic features.

Description:

Ecology: Saprobic on the deadwood and woody debris of hardwoods; growing scattered to gregariously, or in loose clusters; often appearing not only on fallen logs but also in terrestrial troops alongside the logs and woody debris; late spring and early summer; widely distributed in North America east of the Rocky Mountains, south to Central America. The illustrated and described collection is from Indiana.

Cap: 2.5–4.5 cm across; convex to broadly convex or flat; finely granular-velvety, or nearly bald; dry; becoming finely lined; brownish orange, often with a darker center.

Gills: Notched at the point of attachment to the stem; close; often forked and cross-veined; whitish to yellowish; short-gills frequent.

Stem: 3–7.5 cm long; 2–4 mm thick; more or less equal; dry; densely and finely hairy; golden orangish, darkening to brown from the base upward; fairly tough.

Flesh: Insubstantial; brownish.

Odor and Taste: Odor not distinctive; taste bitter.

Chemical Reactions: KOH dark reddish brown on cap surface.

Spore Print: White.

Microscopic Features: Spores 6–8 x 3.5–4.5 µm; ellipsoid; smooth; faintly to moderately amyloid. Pleurocystidia clavate to fusiform. Cheilocystidia narrowly clavate. Caulocystidia more or less cylindric; thick-walled. Pileipellis with reddish brown pileocystidia in fascicles.


REFERENCES: (Schweinitz, 1887) A. H. Smith, 1953. (Saccardo, 1887; Miller, 1968; Smith, Smith & Weber, 1979; Phillips, 1991/2005; Bessette, Miller, Bessette & Miller, 1995; Barron, 1999; Roody, 2003; McNeil, 2006; Kuo & Methven, 2014.) Herb. Kuo 05121203.


This site contains no information about the edibility or toxicity of mushrooms.


 

Xeromphalina tenuipes

Xeromphalina tenuipes

Xeromphalina tenuipes

Xeromphalina tenuipes
KOH on cap surface

Xeromphalina tenuipes
Spores

Xeromphalina tenuipes
Pileipellis: pileocystidia



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Kuo, M. (2014, November). Xeromphalina tenuipes. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/xeromphalina_tenuipes.html