Mycena tenerrima (Berk.) Quél.
Proc. K. Ned. Akad. Wet. (C) 84: 211. 1981.
Common Name: none
Synonym: Mycena adscendens (Lasch) M. Geest. nom. illeg.
Cap 2.0-4.0 mm broad, at first hemispherical, becoming convex to flattened-convex, the disc sometimes sub-umbilicate; margin incurved in youth, decurved at maturity; surface translucent-striate/sulcate from margin to disc, the latter pale grey, elsewhere pallid, coated with white, sugar-like granules, these frequently inconspicuous with age; context thin, membranous, translucent-white, unchanging when cut; odor and taste mild.
Gills adnexed to notched, sometimes forming a collar-like structure near the stipe, closely spaced when young, subdistant in age, relatively broad, whitish, edges minutely fringed (use hand lens); lamellulae up to two-seried.
Stipe 0.4-1.0 cm long, < 1.0 mm thick, filiform, round, hollow, equal except for a swollen, disc-like base; apex whitish, translucent, glabrous, lower portion pale grey, lustrous with sparse hairs, becoming more densely hairy near the basal disc; partial veil absent.
Spores 8.0-10.5 x 4.0-6.0 µm, broadly ellipsoid to oblong-ellipsoid, smooth, thin-walled, contents granular, hilar appendage not conspicuous, faintly amyloid; spores white in deposit.
Scattered to gregarious on fallen branches of hardwoods and conifers; common after periods of wet weather; fruiting throughout the mushroom season.
Unknown, insignificant.
This tiny white Mycena is easily recognized when young by a cap coated with sugar-like granules, and a stipe with a swollen disc-like base. The cap granules becomes less distinct with age but remnants can usually be found with a hand-lens. Similar Mycenas include M. alphitophora and M. stylobates. Mycena alphitophora resembles M. tenerrima in having a granular cap, but the stipe base is not swollen or disk-like. Somewhat larger and sturdier is Mycena stylobates. This species does have a basal stipe disc, but lacks cap granules.
Aronsen, A. & Læssøe, T. (2016). The Genus Mycena s.l. Danish Mycological Society: Copenhagen, Denmark. 373 p.
Breitenbach, J. & Kränzlin, F. (1991). Fungi of Switzerland. Volume 3: Boletes and Agarics (1st Part). Strobilomycetaceae, Boletaceae, Paxillaceae, Gomphidiaceae, Hygrophoraceae, Tricholomataceae, Polyporaceae (lamellate). Verlag Mykologia: Luzern, Switzerland. 361 p
Desjardin, Dennis E. (1995). A preliminary accounting of the worldwide members of Mycena sect. Sacchariferae. Bibliotheca Mycologia 159: 1-89.
Desjardin, D.E., Wood, M.G. & Stevens, F.A. (2015). California Mushrooms: The Comprehensive Identification Guide. Timber Press: Portland, OR. 560 p.
Mass Geesteranus, R. A. (1992). Mycenas of the Northern Hemisphere. II. Conspectus of the Mycenas of the Northern Hemisphere. Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Vetenschappen: Amsterdam, Netherlands. 493 p.
Perry, Brian A. (2002). A Taxonomic Investigation of Mycena in California. Masters Thesis, San Francisco State University: San Francisco, CA. 157 p. (PDF)
Robich, Giovanni (2003). Mycena D'Europa. Associazione Micologica Bresadola: Trento, Italy. 728 p.
Smith, Alexander H. (1947). North American Species of Mycena. University of Michigan Press: Ann Arbor, MI. 521 p.
(PDF)
