Specimen AB#18 (Forgettable Pholiota)

Regrettably I didn't have my own name for this little one. Its title comes from the fact that it is part of a larger group with a LOT of family resemblance and its easy to forget which is which. But I can say for certainty I won't be forgetting this particular fungus. Walking along through the west woods it showed up near the path with a small army of its brothers and sisters. 

Figure 1. A bit dull, but a nice detail shot of Pholiota alnicola

Figure 2. Another shot better showing off the vibrant color

Name: Pholiota alnicola

Family:  Strophariaceae

Collection Date: 10/04/2011

Habitat: “In groups or clusters on rotting logs and stumps, wood chips, etc; widely distributed.” (Arora, 1986).

Location: West Woods

Description: “Cap 3-8 cm broad, convex; surface viscid or dry, smooth or with a few veil remnants at margin, yellow to ochraceous-tawny; margin often waxy. Gills close, adnexed or notched, yellowish becoming rusty-brown or cinnamon-brown. Stalk 4-15 cm long, 0.4-1 cm thick. Spore print rusty-brown” (Arora, 1986).

 

Collector: Andrew Burns

Key Used: Arora. D., (1986) Mushrooms Demystified 2^nd Edition, Ten Speeds Press, New York, NY

Keying Notes: 

Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi… p.52

Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)…p. 58

1b. Spores forcibly discharged; gills exposed at maturity…2

2b. Spore print not white, buff, yellow, orange or lilac…10

10b. Spore print some shade of orange, brown (including cinnamon brown)…16

16b. Spore print not greenish…19

19a. Spore print chocolate brown…20

20b. Gills free to adnexed, adnate, or occasionally decurrent… 21

21b. Gills/cap not auto-digesting at maturity…22

22b. Not as above; neither veil nor annulus present…23

23a. Cap brightly colored (yellow, green, orange, etc)… p. 367, Strophariaceae

1a.Spore print dull brown to cinnamon-brown or rusty brown… p.384, Pholiota

1b. Not typically growing in ashes…3

3b. Cap not blue or blue-green…4

4b. Growing on the ground…15

15b.Not found growing in deep moss, bog, or muck…16

16b. Lower stalk not possessing distinct scales…19

19a. Cap yellow to bright ochre or orange when fresh…20

20b. Cap not viscid…22

22a. Fruiting body staining orange-brown when bruised…p.388 Pholioto malicola group & others

After review of some of the varieties in this group it was settled that this particular specimen is Pholiota alnicola

Correlating Links:

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/pholiota_alnicola.html