Pholiota flammans

Species associated with decaying coniferous wood on the ground, with a convex to flattened pileus 2 to 5 cm in diameter, bright orange-yellow, densely covered with floccose recurved scales, adnate yellow lamellae, and a cylindrical stipe concolorous with the cap, densely scaly below the annular zone, with a pleasant aromatic odour and bitter taste.

Pileipellis with an ixocutis of filamentous hyphae 2 to 4 µm wide, separated by a gelatinous matrix, overlying more compact interwoven hyphae 3 to 6 µm wide; both containing yellowish intracellular pigment, septate with clamp connections.

Cheilocystidia fusiform to clavate, 20 to 35 µm long, 6 to 10 µm wide, mostly hyaline, with scattered chrysocystidia containing refractive inclusions.

Pleurocystidia (predominantly chrysocystidia) scattered, similar in morphology and dimensions to the cheilocystidial chrysocystidia.

Basidia cylindrical-clavate, 16 to 21 µm long, 4 to 6 µm wide, clamped at the base, 4-spored.

Spores ellipsoidal, smooth, moderately thick-walled, very pale yellow under the microscope, 3.5 to 5 µm long, 2 to 3 µm wide, with an almost imperceptible apiculus and a small, faint germ pore.