Marasmius armeniacus
Mycologia 67:837. 1975.
Common Name: none
Cap 4-12 mm broad, convex, expanding to nearly plane, the disc occasionally slightly raised; margin at first incurved, then decurved to nearly plane; surface conspicuously wrinkled, sometimes striate-rugulose at the margin, minutely hair; color: orange to orange-brown, slightly darker at the disc, in age fading to dull apricot-orange; flesh thin, virtually undetectable with the unaided eye; odor and taste mild.
Gills adnate, cream-colored, subdistant as viewed with a 10X hand lens; lamellulae up to three-seried.
Stipe 1-3 cm long, approximately 0.5 mm thick, bristle-like, pliant, round, sinuous, equal, not institious; surface when young, minutely pruinose overall, apex translucent white, the lower portion dull vinaceous-brown, dark brown at the base; at maturity, surface typically glabrous except for the apex which remains slightly pruinose and the stipe base which is pubescent and attached to the substrate via pallid to yellowish-buff hairs; partial veil absent.
Spores 8.5-10.5 x 3-4 µm, subfusiform (spindle-shaped) to elliptical, smooth, thin-walled, inamyloid; spore desposit not seen.
Scattered to gregarious on leaves and litter, e.g. grass stems, pine needles, cypress twigs, and blackberry canes; fruiting in late summer in watered areas and after the fall rains.
Unknown; totally insignificant.
This rare member of the Marasmius clan is characterized by its tiny size, a wrinkled orange-brown cap and bicolored stipe--vinaceous-brown at the base and whitish at the apex. It resembles somewhat another litter decomposer, Mycena oregonensis, but the latter has a smooth, not wrinkled cap and a differently colored stipe. Characteristic of the genus, dried specimens can be revived when moistened.
Desjardin, Dennis E. (1987). The Agaricales (Gilled Fungi) of California. 7. Tricholomataceae I. Marasmioid Fungi. Mad River Press: Eureka, CA. 100 p.
Gilliam, M.S. (1975). New North American species of Marasmius. Mycologia 67: 817-844.
(Protologue)
