Gymnopus dryophilus (Bull.:Fr.) Murrill
N. Amer. Flora 9: 362. 1916.

Common Name: none

Synonym: Collybia dryophila

• Pileus

  Cap 2-5 cm broad, convex, expanding to nearly plane, sometimes slightly umbonate; margin incurved, becoming decurved, at maturity occasionally wavy to upturned; surface smooth, moist, hygrophanous, color varying from reddish-brown, ochraceous-brown to buff-brown, the margin lighter, in age fading to buff; flesh white, thin, unchanging; odor and taste mild.

• Lamellae

  Gills adnexed to notched, crowded, narrow, white to cream, unchanging.

• Stipe

  Stipe 2-6.5 cm tall, 3-6 mm thick, cartilaginous, equal to enlarged at the base, hollow; surface smooth, colored like the cap, white mycelium at the base; veil absent.

• Spores

  Spores 5-7.5 x 3-4 µm, elliptical, smooth, non-amyloid; spore print white to pale cream.

• Habitat

  Gregarious under oaks (Quercus); fruiting shortly after the fall rains.

• Edibility

  Edible, but opinions vary on its culinary value; the stipes are tough and should be discarded.

• Comments

  This honey-brown to buff-brown, hygrophanous Gymnopus lives up to its species name, seldom venturing far from oaks. A close cousin, Rhodocollybia butyracea, is similarly colored, but has a lubricous cap, gills with finely scalloped edges, a cream spore print with a hint of pink, and a faintly striate stipe. It is more common under conifers but can occur in other habitats.

• References

  Antonín, V. & Noordeloos, M.E. (1997). A Monograph of Marasmius, Collybia and related general in Europe. IHW - Verlag: Eching, Germany. 256 p.
  Bas, C., Kyper, T.W., Noordeloos, M.E. & Vellinga, E.C. (1995). Flora Agaricina Neerlandica -- Critical monographs on the families of agarics and boleti occuring in the Netherlands. Volume 3. Tricholomataceae. A. A. Balkema: Rotterdam, Netherlands. 183 p
  Halling, R.E. (1983). The Genus Collybia (Agaricales) in the Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. J. Cramer: Braunschweig, Germany. 148 p.
  Smith, A.H. (1949). Mushrooms in their Natural Habitats. Sawyer's Inc: Portland, OR. 626 p.
  

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Fred Stevens: Gymnopus dryophilus (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Gymnopus dryophilus (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Gymnopus dryophilus (CP)
  • A revision of Collybia s.l. in the northeastern United States and adjacent Canada: Gymnopus dryophilus (D & CP)
  • Macrofungi of Costa Rica: Gymnopus dryophilus (D & CP)
  • Na Grzyby: Gymnopus dryophilus (D & CP) [as Collybia dryophila]
  • Boston Mycological Club: Gymnopus dryophilus (D & CP) [as Collybia dryophila]
  • MushroomExpert.com: Gymnopus dryophilus (D & CP) [as Collybia dryophila]
  • Mushroom Observer: Gymnopus dryophilus (CP)
  • Arora (1986): p. 215 (D), p. 216 (P) [asCollybia dryophila]
  • Breitenbach & Kränzlin (vol. 3): sp. 189 (D, I, & CP) [as Collybia dryophila]
  • Halling: p. 49 (D), fig 37-40 (I), fig. 103 (P) [as Collybia dryophila]
  • Jordan: p. 152 (D & CP) [as Collybia dryophila]
  • Lincoff: p. 755 (D), plate 80 (CP) [as Collybia dryophila]
  • McKenny et al.: p. 56 (D & CP)
  • Phillips: p. 60 (D & CP) [as Collybia dryophila]
  • Smith & Weber: sp. 117 (D & CP) [as Collybia dryophila]
  
  

  (D=Description; I=Illustration; P=Photo; CP=Color Photo)