Possible Inocybe - (for ID Help Please)

[Lancashire Lad]

Found yesterday, growing directly in bare soil in predominantly Fagus area of deciduous woodland. (Fungi not associated with anything in particular as far as I could ascertain).

Largest fruitbody found, approximately 3cm. in diameter. (Largest in photo is 2cm).
Caps appear finely scaly. - Several with broad umbo.
Longest stipe found, approximately 5cm.
Upper stipe whitish, generally becoming concolourous with cap further down.
Several with broad umbo.
All with very strong mushroom smell, but nothing specific.

Photo is a good representation of fungi colour, but the gills overall, are more of a light brown colour. Definitely a somewhat darker colour today, the specimen brought home was kept in a paper bag overnight. - (Nearest colour equivalent in Jordan is named "milky coffee").

Spore print dark(ish) brown. (Again, nearest colour equivalent in Jordan is named "bay").


Fruitbodies In Situ . . . . Gill Edge x40


Cystidia x400 . . . . . . . Spores x600

Any suggestions towards ID greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Mike.

[Chris Yeates]

hi Mike

I lay little claim to much knowledge of Inocybe, but you definitely have one there . . . I may have some thoughts as to possible species when I've had a think

with regard to the image of the metuloids (cystidia) have you tried stacking software?; a key character in Inocybe is whether there are cystidia on the gill face as well as the gill edge (am I correct in thinking those are along the edge?)

cheers

Chris

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally Posted by Chris Yeates

....with regard to the image of the metuloids (cystidia) have you tried stacking software?; a key character in Inocybe is whether there are cystidia on the gill face as well as the gill edge (am I correct in thinking those are along the edge?)....

Hi Chris,

I'm ok with stacking of DSLR images, but as yet, I haven't tried it with images obtained from the microscope, as I'm just using a USB cam. (Minicam DCM5-megapixel).

As for the cystidia, I'm not sure exactly where the one's in the photo were situated, as I'd done a fairly thorough "squash", of the gill segment before viewing it.

I've just put another small fragment under the scope without squashing, and yes, there are cystidia on the very edge, and all over the sides too. (They all look pretty much the same in shape & size, regardless of whether on the edge or side of the gill).

It was more noticable with this last piece, that the flesh (trama?) of the gill in general, seems to be made up mostly of very globose cells - of which some rather out of focus ones can be seen in the cystidia shot in original post. (Not sure if that might also help towards ID).

Regards,
Mike.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

Hi Chris,

I'm ok with stacking of DSLR images, but as yet, I haven't tried it with images obtained from the microscope, as I'm just using a USB cam. (Minicam DCM5-megapixel).

In my experience (such as it is) you are best doing only three or four images in a stack using a compound 'scope - you get too many artefacts if you try doing lots - it can be worth it though

Originally Posted by Lancashire Lad

I've just put another small fragment under the scope without squashing, and yes, there are cystidia on the very edge, and all over the sides too. (They all look pretty much the same in shape & size, regardless of whether on the edge or side of the gill). Mike.

again in my experience it's often best not just to squash everything to start off with - you can do that - gently and by stages - a bit later

for facial cystidia it's often best to - with scalpel or razor blade - make a downward cut (imagine the cap, gills downwards, as a clock face) from around 2 o'clock to 4 o'clock, then make a parallel cut as close to the first as possible; you should end up with something looking like the teeth of a comb (the gills still attached to their slice of cap); lay this - dry! - on a slide and examine it through a relatively low power objective 10x or a little higher - you should be able to see whether there are any facial cystidia; you can always then mount in water and gently apply some pressure

with Inocybe key characters include

• whether a cortina is present or not
• the degree and extent of pruinosity on the stem - along whole length or partial? this pruinosity is of course again down to cystidia - it is very easy to destroy this by careless handling; in this genus it is particularly important how you handle the fungus

• any colour changes
• distinctive smells
• whether the stem has a swollen base and whether that has a raised rim at the top

• spore shape
• whether gill face cystidia present or not

and even then you may well end up confused

cheers

Chris

[Lancashire Lad]

Thanks Chris.

Pruinose towards base of stipe,
No colour change apart from gills slightly darkening over night. No change in stipe colour or cap colour. (Certainly not going red etc.).
Strong Mushroom smell - but not a really distinctive smell.
No swollen bases to stipes.

Looks like this one's destined for labelling as Inocybe sp.

I'll try the "comb" section on the next suitable fruitbody I find. (Or if the remnants of this sample are still ok in the morning).

Regards,
Mike.

[Lancashire Lad]

Results of "Comb" sectioning, showing cystidia on face of gills.

I've cobbled together a very much DIY Heath Robinson sort of "hand held microtome", which allows me to grip the cap segment, cutting cross sections one after another by gradually moving the sample forwards.

Photos don't seem to be able to resolve anywhere as much detail as the microscope optics - The sections were pretty much translucent under the scope, but appear much less so as Minicam images.

First photo a single image, x40, dry section, no coverslip: -


Second photo a stack of four images, x100, in water, with coverslip: -


Regards,
Mike.