Fungus for ID. Inocybe sp?

[hillrover]

Thanks everyone. That was very interesting and useful.

Happy New Year to you all and thanks to everyone for all the help last year.

Christine

[Ditiola]

Originally Posted by stickman

I find some genera almost as easy without a 'scope - eg Clitocybe, Amanita, Entoloma.
Granted - the species within these genera often have significant microscpic differences, but these usually correspond with obvious macroscopic ones too!
Sometimes it just involves a load of hard work to learn the 'jizz'.

Put down that 'scope and set yourself free! (just don't tell Chris I said that)

Happy new year.
Nick

Maybe, although the main problem here was determining the genus to start with, and with a scope and a few spores one can ascertain whether it is an Entoloma or not with 100% certainty in less than 30 seconds

Peter

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by stickman

I find some genera almost as easy without a 'scope - eg Clitocybe, Amanita, Entoloma.
Granted - the species within these genera often have significant microscopic differences, but these usually correspond with obvious macroscopic ones too!
Sometimes it just involves a load of hard work to learn the 'jizz'.

Put down that 'scope and set yourself free! (just don't tell Chris I said that)

Happy new year.
Nick

hi Nick

I wouldn't disagree with you when talking at the level of genus - I assume you are talking 'toadstools' here - I would challenge you to place most unfamiliar resupinates in a genus in the field (and of course when you get on to the ascomycetes - by far the largest group of fungi - forget it) - but before I weigh in did you really mean what it seems you intended in that statement I have highlighted above?

cheers

Chris

[stickman]

Hi Chris

I think I see what you're getting at here - that sentence could be seen as a little misleading. Difference in spore sizes, for example, obviously could not correspond with macroscopic differences....maybe coincide would have been a better word to use.

Yes I'm strictly talking 'toadstools' here - had I mentioned Trechispora, Phlebia, or Tomentella as macroscopically 'easy' fungi, I would be in trouble!

Cheers,
Nick

[stickman]

With regards to Entoloma, I have seen people struggling with them over only a microscope and a copy of Funga Nordica, which is a bit like shooting fish in a barrel IMO.

As useful as the keys and descriptions are in FN, this genus is pretty much impossible without the starting point of some decent literature with reliable photographs and fresh material.(I'm not suggesting for a moment that FN isn't decent)

Of course - as Peter has pointed out - getting them to genus level is a lot quicker with microscopy - without which you're relying on spore colour which is (dare I say) somewhat subjective.

Cheers,
Nick