Leratiomyces ceres
Mycotaxon 103: 116. 2008.
Common Name: none
Synonym: Psilocybe ceres (Cooke & Masse) Sacc.
Missapplied Names: Hypholoma aurantiaca (Cooke) J. Faus; Naematoloma aurantiaca (Cooke) Guzmán; Stropharia aurantiaca (Cooke) P. D. Orton
Cap 2.5-6.0 cm broad, convex, becoming broadly convex, obtusely umbonate, margin with veil fragments disappearing in age; surface subviscid when moist, otherwise dry, smooth, reddish-brown to orange-brown; flesh thin, pale colored with pinkish tones below the cuticle; odor and taste mild.
Gills close, adnate to notched, at first pale greyish-brown, then olive-brown, finally brownish-purple at maturity, edges lighter than the faces.
Stipe 4-6 cm tall, 0.5-1.0 cm thick, equal to slightly enlarged at the base, the latter with conspicuous pallid to pale yellow mycelium; veil membranous, thin, leaving a fragile, evanescent, medial ring; surface pallid often developing orange-brown stains in age, smooth above ring, finely scaled below, the scales typically weathering away in age.
Spores 10-13 x 6-8 µm, elliptical, smooth. Spore print purple brown.
Solitary, gregarious to clustered on wood chips, occasionally in grass; from early fall to late winter, but fruiting sporadically any month of the year when moisture is available.
Unknown.
Leratiomyces ceres is an attractive small reddish-brown mushroom common in wood chips but rare in natural woodlands. Besides its brightly colored cap, other identifying characteristics include an appendiculate cap margin when young, a purple brown spore print (often seen on overlapping caps) and its preference for woody debris, particularly wood chips.
Bridge, P.D., Spooner, B.M., Beever, R.E. & Park, D.-C. (2008). Taxonomy of the fungus commonly known as Stropharia aurantiaca with new combinations in Leratiomyces. Mycotaxon 103: 109-121.
Desjardin, D.E., Wood, M.G. & Stevens, F.A. (2015). California Mushrooms: The Comprehensive Identification Guide. Timber Press: Portland, OR. 560 p.
Redhead, Scott A. & John McNeill. (2008). The generic name Leratiomyces (Agaricales) once again. Mycotaxon 105: 481-488.
Guzmán, G. (1975). New and interesting species of Agaricales of Mexico. Beih. Nova Hedw. 51: 99-118.
Noordeloos, M.E. (2011). Strophariaceae s.l. Edizioni Candusso: Alassio, Italy. 648 p.
Siegel, N. & Schwarz, C. (2016). Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast. Ten Speed Press: Berkeley, CA. 601 p.
Watling, Roy & Gregory, Norma M. (1987). British Fungus Flora: Agarics and Boleti. Vol 5. Strophariaceae & Coprinaceae p.p.: Hypholoma, Melanotus, Psilocybe, Stropharia, Lacymaria, & Panaeolus. Royal Botanic Garden: Edinburgh, Scotland. 121 p.
