Candolleomyces candolleanus
Mycological Progress 19(11): 1233. 2020.
Common Name: none
Synonyms: Psathyrella candolleana (Fries) Maire; Hypholoma candolleanum (Fr.) Quél.
Cap 1.5-5.5 cm broad, broadly conic, then convex in age; margin wavy, hung with veil fragments when young; surface smooth, moist, occasionally cracked in dry weather, the disc light-brown to honey-brown, hygrophanous, fading to pale-buff; flesh thin, fragile, dingy-brown; odor and taste mild.
Gills adnate to seceding, narrow, close, pale grey-brown becoming medium-brown in age.
Stipe 3-7 cm tall, 0.3-0.5 cm thick, equal, sometimes twisted, hollow, fragile; surface white, satiny; veil evanescent, leaving fragments on immature caps.
Spores 7-9 x 3.5-5 µm, elliptical, smooth; spore print dark brown.
Scattered to gregarious along trails, in gardens or in grassy areas; fruiting from late fall to mid-winter.
Described as edible, but unsubstantial. Psathyrellas are poorly known in our area, thus none are recommended for the table.
Specimens of Candolleomyces candolleanus appears to vary considerably in color and robustness and it is possible if not likely that the species name is being applied to several closely related taxa. In general, Candolleomyces candolleanus is recognized by a smooth, yellowish-brown, hygrophanous cap which fades to pale buff, with an appendiculate margin when young and a white, shiny, fragile stipe.
Long known as Psathyrella candoleana, recent molecular work show that this species belongs in the new genus Candolleomyces, which it is the type species (see Wächter & Melzer).
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