Stropharia species query

[Spongi]

I found these Stropharia sp. yesterday. They were beneath the canopy of a mature beech tree seemingly growing from the leaf litter. I'm ruling out S.pseudocyanea, as that species seems to like wet grassland, plus it didn't smell peppery at all. So that just leaves S.aeruginosa and S.caerulea. I'm torn as to which. I'm erring on the side of S.caerulea, as even the immature caps didn't have particularly visible veil remnants, they were also losing the blue/green cap colour, which I believe aeruginosa keeps for longer. Any help with ID would be gratefully received.

[flaxton]

S caerulea has an ephemeral ring and S aeruginosa has more prominent and long lasting one so without resorting to the microscope I think you are right.

Mal

[mollisia]

Hello,

I agree to all said, that the veil situation and the colours suggest Psilocybe/Stropharia caerulea rather then P. aeruginosa.
But the colour of the gills and the therefore supposed spore print colour seems to be violet-brown, what would rule out P. caerulea. This species has (as only exeption within the genus Psilocybe) a pure brown spore print colour, like e.g. Hebeloma or Pholiota/Kuehneromyces. And the ecology also speaks against P. caerulea, which usually doesn't grow inside woods, but on rural places on road sides etc., often with Urtica.

So I think you would need to microscope to be sure ...

best regards,
Andreas

[Spongi]

The brown-pink spore/gills colour rather puts a spanner in the works on my theory then! I suppose I ought to get a microscope, although I've little experience of using them.

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by Spongi

The brown-pink spore/gills colour rather puts a spanner in the works on my theory then! I suppose I ought to get a microscope, although I've little experience of using them.

if they're still extant, pick one and air-dry it in a warm place - if you would like me to look at it for you, PM me

it worked for Stewy: Stewy's Stropharia

cheers

Chris