Marasmius rotula

Morphological Features:

Pileus which at maximum development barely reaches 1.5 cm in diameter, initially hemispherical, it soon acquires its typical parachute shape, maintained throughout much of its development, with a depressed or umbilicate center that flattens slightly only at maturity. It is white or pale cream in color, and its surface is typically smooth and striate. Margin markedly crenulate.

Lamellae free, forming a very well-defined, almost tubular collar around the stipe, which is a distinctive feature of the species. White in color, widely spaced, and lacking lamellulae; additionally broad and somewhat convex.

Stipe very long, up to 7 cm, entirely smooth, hard and firm for such a small mushroom. The upper portion is lighter in color, while the remainder is brownish, almost black, contrasting with the white pileus.

Flesh scanty, cartilaginous in consistency within the stipe, with little to no odor or taste.

Habitat:

A fairly common species that appears as early as summer and persists throughout autumn. Fruiting on woody debris of broadleaf trees, directly on wood, generally in fairly large groups, rarely solitary.

Observations:

This is a small species that bears some resemblance to Marasmiellus ramealis or Marasmiellus candidus, species that also fruit on wood and are similarly whitish. Aside from the structure of its cuticle, a feature only appreciable under microscopy, it also differs macroscopically by the collar formed by the lamellae which do not reach the stipe, whereas in these two species they are adnate.