Pholiota terrestris Overholts
North Amer. Flora 10: 278. 1924

Common Name: none

• Pileus

  Cap 2-8 cm broad, convex, nearly plane at maturity, umbonate; fibrillose with small brown scales over a pale buff to yellow-buff viscid layer; margin often with veil fragments, disappearing in age; flesh thin, pallid to pale brown; odor, mild.

• Lamellae

  Gills adnate, close, thin, pallid at first, dull brown at maturity.

• Stipe

  Stipe 3.5-9 cm tall, 0.5-1.0 cm thick, equal, occasionally tapering downward; surface dry, brown at base, pallid to pale buff above with conspicuous brown scales; veil pallid forming a superior, evanescent fibrillose ring.

• Spores

  Spores 4.0-6.5 x 3.5-4.5 µm, elliptical, smooth with an apical pore. Spore print brown.

• Habitat

  Clustered, usually on disturbed ground, e.g. lawns, paths, dirt roads; from late fall to mid-winter.

• Edibility

  Edible, but of poor quality.

• Comments

  Pholiota terrestris is recognized by its scaly cap and stipe, clustered fruitings, brown spores and terrestrial habit. It also has a distinctive "leggy" aspect, the stipe being longer than the cap width. In age the cap scales sometimes wash away but the stipe scales usually persist. Some Psathyrella species are similar, but lack the distinctive cap/stipe scale pattern; additionally they have purple-brown spores.

• References

  McCleneghan S.C. (1991). A Systematic Study of the Genus Pholiota (Fr.) Kummer in California. Masters Thesis. Humboldt State University: Arcata, CA. 160 p.
  Smith, A.H. & Hesler, L.R. (1968). The North American Species of Pholiota. Hafner Publishing Company: New York, NY. 492 p. (Web)

• Other Descriptions and Photos
  • Dimitar Bojantchev: Pholiota terrestris (CP)
  • Tom Duffy: Pholiota terrestris (CP)
  • Tom Duffy: Pholiota terrestris (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Pholiota terrestris (CP)
  • Fred Stevens: Pholiota terrestris (CP)
  • Michael Wood: Pholiota terrestris (CP)
  • Smith & Hesler: Pholiota terrestris (D, I, & P)
  • Mushroom Observer: Pholiota terrestris (CP)
  • Arora (1986): p. 389 (D & P)
  • Lincoff: p. 718 (D), plate 181 (CP)
  • McKenny et al.: p. 141 (D & CP)
  • Phillips: p. 178 (D), p. 179 (CP)
  • Smith: sp. 151 (D & CP)
  
  

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