see
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/gymnopus_spongiosus.html

Spore print: white

KOH test - olive green on cap.

Spore Size:
[20/1/1] L (7.1-) 10.1-12.3 (-) μm x W (3.6-) 7.6 – 9.1 (-) μm, (L = 8.5 μm, W = 4.3 μm), Q (1.75-) 1.30-1.46 (-2.28), Q=2.00 elongate

Habitat – After morning rain. Mixed hardwood and pine. On woodland litter under winged Elm, River Birch, oak, Sweet Gum and pine. On grew direction on birch leaf. Another grew on small sticks.

Just north of parking area. Many of these through out the area.

Cap – largest, 1.5 inch ( 4.5 cm) across. Dry cap. Top of cap reddish brown, most with broad umbo. Smooth, rippled margin. Light cream color on out 1/5 of cap, darkening t center. Deep warm reddish brown at center. Flesh is very thin and a little lighter than center of cap.

Gills – White to creamy white. Many short gills, close. Some red staining near center from stem and at edge from cap. Gills are not cross-veined but are trying with many ridges running perpendicular to the gill edge, thickening the gill at the ridges. Adnate, notched. Breadth, about 1/4 inch at center.

Stalk – some thicker at base, some at top, some at center. About 5 mm at thickest, 3 mm at thinnest. Stalk is covered with a thick red-brown furry layer the full length except right at the apex where it disappears. Longest Stalk is 2.25 inch (5.5 cm) long. Stalk is hollow, fibrous, tough, flexible. Similar color throughout.

Mycelium. The photos of the two growing together on a stick shows the pinkish-cream colored mycelia wrapped around the branch. Also on the stick are reddish nodules similar to the outer surface of the stalk.

The smallest specimens I could find were about 1/2 cm across and were curled under. I did not see a Partial Veil or a cortina.

I observed no staining due to bruising or cutting.

Smell: was mild, pleasant mushroom smell.