Marasmius calhouniae Singer
Fieldiana: Bot., N.S. 21: 63. 1989.

Common Name: none

• Pileus

  Cap 1-3 cm broad, convex, becoming nearly plane in age, the disc sometimes slightly depressed with an uplifted margin; surface translucent-striate when moist, faintly radially furrowed, otherwise smooth, pale grey to buff-grey, fading to ashy-white; flesh extremely thin, colored like the cap, unchanging; odor, mild, taste, mild to faintly raphanoid.

• Lamellae

  Gills subdecurrent becoming decurrent and distant at maturity, moderately broad, intervenose, concolorous with the cap, unchanging.

• Stipe

  Stipe 1.5-4 cm tall, 2-5 mm thick, fragile, hollow, equal to tapering to a slightly narrowed base; surface smooth, moist, white at the apex, pale-grey to dingy light- brown at the base; veil absent.

• Spores

  Spores 9-10 x 3.5-4.5 µm, elliptical to tear-drop shaped, smooth, inamyloid; spore print white.

• Habitat

  Scattered, gregarious to in large troops on pine needles, especially Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata) and Bishop Pine (Pinus muricata); occasional with Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens); fruiting from mid to late winter.

• Edibility

  Unknown.

• Comments

  After periods of rain this fragile, white Marasmius sometimes carpets the ground under pines. The translucent-striate cap (when moist), and widely spaced, decurrent gills are its hallmarks. It is somewhat similar to Marasmiellus candidus but the latter fruits on sticks and branches, its white cap often tinged pinkish in age, while the stipe base is darkly colored.

• References

  Desjardin, Dennis E. (1987). The Agaricales (Gilled Fungi) of California. 7. Tricholomataceae I. Marasmioid Fungi. Mad River Press: Eureka, CA. 100 p.

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Boleslaw Kuznik: Marasmius calhouniae (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Marasmius calhouniae (CP)
  • Boleslaw Kuznik -- Hunting for Mushrooms: Marasmius calhouniae (CP)
  • Mushroom Observer: Marasmius calhouniae (CP)
  • Desjardin: p. 60 (D), fig. 73-77 (I)
  
  

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