ID - Help required to identify brown/white capped fungi

[Bruce Williams]

I made my first visit to Asridge Estate today. Not very productive but then it's such a huge place that I may have just been looking in the wrong areas? If anyone can help suggest where the fungi hot spots are I'd be most grateful.

This was a VERY large (numerically) troop growing on an old fallen trunk (beech maybe). The two pics are from opposite sides of the trunk. It would appear that a typical head starts out a rich brown colour and develops a light (seemingly) furry covering as it ages.

Can't find anything in my books that fits the bill. Mind you halfway through Jordan my mind starts spinning......

Bruce

[Leif]

I think this is a hygrophanous species, whereby the flesh changes colour as it dries.

There are three common species that fir the general form and habitat: Galerina marginata, Keuhnomyces mutabilis and Psathyrella hydrophila.

The smooth stem rules out Keuhnomyces mutabilis.

It just does not look right for Galerina marginata. The stem is not silvery, and lacks the vetigial ring, and the cap margin lacks radial lines.

That leaves Psathyrella hydrophila as a possible match although I am not convinced. The smooth whitish stem, and brown hygrophanous cap match, but there is something wrong. The way the cap dries seem not right. It might be a trick of the light of course. Does P. hydrophila have a nipple-like umbo on the cap?

Maybe someone else can throw more light on this.

[NickCantle]

I agree with Lief, although I give him full credit for the explanation which led me to believe that this is almost definitely Psyathrella hydrophila. Again, as aforementioned by Lief, it's a hygrophanous species which did spring to mind upon noticing the colour change. Looking at my own photographs of Psyathrella hydrophila, I'm able to recognise the cap shape and markings which are evident in the top photograph, mainly in the young specimens.

I agree with Lief in his ID

Psyathrella Hydrophila

Nick

P.S If i'm wrong, I'm going to kill myself.

[gourmetfungi]

I think you will find that this is not colour change due to it's species but that of frost. Many species at the moment esp small varieties have benn affected by sharp ground frosts. Many of the deceivers have been affected in the same way. Trust me i pick many a fungus

[Leif]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

I agree with Lief, although I give him full credit for the explanation which led me to believe that this is almost definitely Psyathrella hydrophila. Again, as aforementioned by Lief, it's a hygrophanous species which did spring to mind upon noticing the colour change. Looking at my own photographs of Psyathrella hydrophila, I'm able to recognise the cap shape and markings which are evident in the top photograph, mainly in the young specimens.

I agree with Lief in his ID

Psyathrella Hydrophila

Nick

P.S If i'm wrong, I'm going to kill myself.

Thanks Nick. I had no photograph to hand.

[Bruce Williams]

Thanks everyone for your help on this one. An interesting and instructive analysis too.

The pics I've now seen of P. hydrophila do look very similar, however I would make an observation. I would estimate the largest (flat) head in pic1 to be approx. 5cm in diameter whereas the entry in Jordan suggests a max of 3cm for P. hydrophila (P. piluliformis)? The vast majority of heads (and there were hundreds) would have been 3cm or less.

Interesting point about the effects of frost on fungi.

Bruce

[NickCantle]

See now I wouldn't put the colour change in deceivers down to frost myself. Every year the deceivers go buff when they dry...Maybe frost in the Psyathrella Hyrdophila though