Myxomphalia maura
Summary 4
Myxomphalia maura is a stunning species which although common is easy to overlook. The small stature and grey-brown coloration make it blend in well to the fire-scorched conifer forest habitats in which it is found. A member of the family Tricholomataceae and the type species of the genus Myxomphalia, this species is very ecologically successful and has a cosmopolitan distribution, even being found frequently in fire pits left by campers.
Basic Identification 4
Cap/Pileus: 10-40mm wide, convex with a distinct central depression which is sometime paler than the rest of the cap, smooth and hygrophanous (transparent when wet) with a striated margin. The striations often reach to the center when wet. Pale grey-brown when dried. Thin whitish context/flesh.
Gills/Lamellae: Closely spaced white/light grey gills that distinctly run down the stipe a short distance.
Stipe: Up to 45mm tall and 3mm thick, same color or slightly paler than the cap. Slightly club shaped at the base and slightly floccose (hairy/fuzzy) towards the apex.
Spores: White.
Habitat/Ecology: Growing scattered to gregarious in disturbed areas, primarily in burned soil beneath conifer trees. Fruiting early summer to late fall.
Description based on: Antonín, V. (1999). Notes on the genus Fayodia s.l. (Tricholomataceae) - I. Type studies of European Myxomphalia species. Mycotaxon 73: 325-334. (PDF)
Advanced Identification 4
Pileus 10-40mm convex, distinctly umbilicate at center, with involute
margin, uneven when old, hygrophanous, at least up to 2/3 translucently striate, smooth,
glabrous, apparently fibrillose when moist, grey, grey-brown to black-brown when
moist, sometimes slightly paler at center, palescent to pale grey-brown on drying.
Lamellae distinctly decurrent, moderately close. L = 20-29, l = 3, sometimes slightly
undulate, broad, whitish to pale greyish, with concolorous, slightly pubescent edge.
Stipe 18-45 x 1.5-3.0(-4.0) mm, cylindrical, slightly broadened above, slightly
broadened to narrowly clavate at base (up to 5 mm), slightly flocculose at apex, slightly
longitudinally striate, watery brown, dark brown to grey-brown (± concolorous with
pileus colour or slightly darker), paler at apex. Context whitish. Smell farinaceous-spermatic. Taste mild.
Spores 5.5-7.0 x (4.0-)4.5-6.0 µm, X = 6.5 x 4.9 µm, E = 1.1 - 1.6, Q = 1.4, ellipsoid to broadly ellipsoid, slightly thick-walled, smooth in a light microscope, amyloid, hyaline in KOH. Basidia 15-23 x 6.5-8.0 µm, 4-spored, clavate. Basidioles 10 - 18 x 4.0-8.0 avate, broadly clavate, (sub)cylindrical.
Cheilocystidia (21-)31-68 x (5.0-)8.0-15 µm, clavate, subcylindrical, rarely lageniform, often irregular to almost lobate, ± thin-walled, hyaline in KOH and H20. Pleurocystidia similar. Hyphae cylindrical to ellipsoid, thin-walled, smooth, in mediostratum minutely incrusted, subhyaline to pale yellow in KOH, greyish-yellowish in H20, up to 20 µm wide. Pileipellis an ixocutis, made up of ± interwoven, gelatinized, thin- to slightly thick-walled, cylindrical, hyaline to pale brownish in KOH and H2O, up to 6 µm wide hyphae, sometimes with lateral projections; terminal cells and lateral projections appressed to erect, mostly irregular to coralloid. Subpileipellis hyphae distinctly incrusted by dark grey-brown pigment in KOH and H20.cStipitipellis an ixocutis more or less radially arranged,
cylindrical, slightly thick-walled, gelatinized, pale yellowish to yellow-greyish in KOH,
subhyaline in H2O, up to 6 µm wide hyphae. Caulocystidia appressed to (sub)erect, 25-
50 x 4.5-6.0(-10.0) µm, cylindrical to narrowly clavate, often irregular to submoniliform, thin- to slightly thick-walled. Clamp-connections present.
Source: Antonín, V. (1999). Notes on the genus Fayodia s.l. (Tricholomataceae) - I. Type studies of European Myxomphalia species. Mycotaxon 73: 325-334. (PDF)
Similar taxa 4
Mycena
Sources and Credits
- (c) Mike Potts, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Mike Potts
- (c) Spencer Wimmer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/130393770
- (c) Jillian Cowles (jcowles), some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jillian Cowles (jcowles), https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/135831918
- (c) Spencer Wimmer, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
