Galerina marginata?

[lipase]

Hi everyone, I haven't been on WAB for a while. Not because of a lack of interest in fungi and wildlife in general but because I've been going on a lot of 'spur of the moment' mushroom hunts and not having my camera with me. This is really selfish of me only to come on here when I have something to identify! I should really be on here, practicing my identification skills and trying to give something back because I'm REALLY grateful about the help I've got from you. Well, it's never too late to start... But this thread is about some mushrooms I think I may have identified hahahaha! (see pics):

I think it may be either Galerina marginata or Kuehneromyces mutabilis. Until just now I was leaning towards G. marginata basically because of the sinuate/slightly decurrent gills. I was unsure about the stipe though since it appears as if it has a few scales, which according to the guides I use is more a characteristic of K. mutabilis and I've just remembered someone telling me that the way the gills attach to the stipe can be very variable so I'm now beginning to think it's K. mutabilis!

As far as I can remember it was growing on a tree stump but I didn't really check it out properly (it was covered in moss etc) and perhaps some were growing not directly from the piece of wood or stump that was there.

The reason I picked them was because I forgot I had a camera with me when I found them and embarassingly I thought they might be an edible Armillaria species before consulting the guides.

Any help much appreciated

[Ditiola]

Hi

They look like typical Kuehneromyces mutabilis to me

Peter

[lipase]

Hi and thanks Peter,

Would you be able to tell me how you can tell the difference between Galerina marginata and Kuehneromyces mutabilis? Is it purely based on the stem being a bit scaly?

Jack

[NickCantle]

The caps of Kuehneromyces mutabilis are very hygrophanous and subsequently appear 'two tone'. Quite a popular characteristic exhibited by this species that I'm quite sure G. marginata doesn't show!

Nick

[lipase]

Ah, perhaps I overlooked that part of the G. marginata description in the guides. For some reason I was under the impression it was also hygrophanous, I'll give it another read. Cheers Nick.

[NickCantle]

I've just had a look and you're right; G. marginata is often hygrophanous! However, the difference is, K. mutabilis dries from the inside-outward, so the cap is lighter in the middle. G. marginata shows the opposite, so when it dries out, it dries outside-inward, showing a lighter margin to the cap.

As for the stipe, anything below the stipe on K. mutabilis should be scaly and coarse. In G. marginata, you can expect a silky, almost fibrillous texture. The latter also apparently has a mealy smell whereas the former is more of a normal 'shroom smell...

Hope that helps a little!

Nick

[lipase]

Hmmm, I've just checked up in the Colins complete guide and judging by the photo and the description it is possible for the caps to appear like the photos I took in the original post... It also says that to tell the difference; K. mutabilis has a very scaly stipe. The photos I have taken seem to show a fairly small amount of scales, I guess this is enough however to make a positive identification.

I've just read your second post now Nick. The picture in this Colins guide actually shows the paler part being on the inside as opposed to around the rim for G. marginata. There is a slightly darker patch right in the centre though. I would scan in the photo but I don't have a scanner to hand. It's a little like this image:



Although on one of them the central dark patch is a lot less noticable.

[FungiJohn]

Here's an image of Galerina marginata / autumnalis I took last year if it helps



John

[lipase]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

As for the stipe, anything below the stipe on K. mutabilis should be scaly and coarse. In G. marginata, you can expect a silky, almost fibrillous texture. The latter also apparently has a mealy smell whereas the former is more of a normal 'shroom smell...

Hope that helps a little!

Nick

Yes, that does help thanks. It's making me more confident in the identification as K. mutabilis. I never feel particularly confident about identifying mushrooms!

Here's an image of Galerina marginata / autumnalis I took last year if it helps



John

It certainly looks different below the ring to the fruit bodies I found. Also; nice photo

[Ditiola]

Hi
I have had similar problems it the past separating these two fungi as they can both be very variable and wears typical specimens can be easier to separate; atypical specimens can be quite similar.

In 'The Fungi of Switzerland' they say: The very poisonous Galerina marginata differs by its smooth stipe which is only longitudinally fibrous (even below the ring), The farinaceous odour and taste and larger verrucose (rough) spores.

Peter