Marasmiellus candidus (Bolt.) Singer
Pap. Mich. Acad. Sci. 32: 129. 1946.

Common Name: none

Synonym: Marasmius candidus (Bolt.) Fr.

• Pileus

  Cap 0.6-4 cm broad, convex when young, expanding to plane or plane with a depressed center in age; surface dry, glabrous to slightly pruinose; color white, becoming buff to orange-white, often staining pinkish in age; flesh very thin, soft; odor and taste mild.

• Lamellae

  Gills adnate to subdecurrent, distant, intervenose; color white to buff; often staining pinkish in age; lamellulae present.

• Stipe

  Stipe 7-20 mm long, 1.5-4 mm thick, equal or tapered, central or eccentric; surface glabrous to pruinose with a pubescent to fibrillose base; color white to grey or black at base.

• Spores

  Spores 11-15 x 3.5-5.5 µm, long lacrymoid to subfusiform, smooth, nonamyloid. Spore print white.

• Habitat

  Gregarious to densely gregarious on dead conifers, hardwoods, & shrubs; fall through spring.

• Edibility

  Unknown. Much to small to be of culinary value.

• Comments

  Marasmiellus candidus is easy to recognize by its small size, lignicolous habitat, widely spaced gills, and white color often staining pinkish.

• References

  Desjardin, Dennis E. (1987). The Agaricales (Gilled Fungi) of California. 7. Tricholomataceae I. Marasmioid Fungi. Mad River Press: Eureka, CA. 100 p.
  Desjardin, Dennis E. (1985. The Marasmioid Fungi of California. Masters Thesis. San Francisco State University: San Francisco, CA. 287 p.
  Smith, A.H. (1949). Mushrooms in their Natural Habitats. Sawyer's Inc: Portland, OR. 626 p.

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Boleslaw Kuznik: Marasmiellus candidus (CP)
  • Boleslaw Kuznik: Marasmiellus candidus (CP)
  • Taylor F. Lockwood: Marasmiellus candidus (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Marasmiellus candidus (CP)
  • George Barron's Fungi of Canada (East): Marasmiellus candidus (D & CP)
  • Mushroom Observer: Marasmiellus candidus (CP)
  • Arora (1986):p. 206 (D), plate 36 (CP)
  • Desjardin: p. 28 (D)
  • Lincoff: p. 770 (D), plate 488 (C) [Marasmiellus albuscorticis]
  
  

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