> Easily recognized species. (1/2)

Stem to 20 cm x 15 mm (much thicker than for the mushrooms below!), whitish above, brownish below; cap to 4 cm, tan to cinnamon or yellowish brown, with some or many appressed scales; gills close or nearly distant, whitish, sometimes spotting pinkish or brownish; odor not distinctive, taste mild or somewhat bitter; spores 6-10 x 5-7 µ, elliptical, inamyloid; typically growing in dense clusters on decaying hardwood stumps and logs (occasionally from buried wood or living trees). (1/1)

Armillaria tabescens

> Not as above. (2/2)

° Young, fresh cap gray, grayish, grayish brown, or pale cinnamon. (1/2)

Cap to 3 cm, with a dark grayish brown center, lighter toward the margin, often with a streaked appearance; gills nearly distant, whitish; stem slender, covered with white fuzz; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 5-6.5 x 4-5.5 µ, nearly round; growing in dense clusters on decayed wood of hardwoods. (1/4)

Clitocybula oculus
photo only

Cap to 6 cm, brownish to grayish brown, fading to tan, with a conspicuously streaked surface (reminiscent of Megacollybia platyphylla or many Inocybe species), the margin becoming wavy and torn; gills nearly distant, whitish; stem to 5 cm x 5 mm, whitish; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 6-8 x 4.5-6 µ, elliptical; growing in dense clusters on decayed wood of hardwoods or conifers. (2/4)

Clitocybula lacerata

Cap to 4 cm, brownish to grayish, fading, sometimes with a somewhat streaked surface; gills crowded, grayish or pale; stem to 8 cm x 4 mm, grayish, base covered with white fuzz; odor not distinctive, taste not distinctive or slightly unpleasant; spores 3.5-5 x 3.5-5 µ, round; growing in dense clusters on decayed conifer wood. (3/4)

Clitocybula familia

Cap to 3 cm, pale cinnamon brown, sometimes fading to buff; gills nearly distant, whitish to buff; stem to 6 cm x 7 mm, whitish, typically grooved; odor none, taste not distinctive or slightly unpleasant; spores 5.5-6.5 x 2-3 µ, elliptical or nearly cylindrical; growing gregariously or in loose clusters on leaves or rotten wood. (4/4)

Gymnopus striatipes
at NYBG
( = Collybia cylindrospora)

° Young, fresh cap brown to reddish brown or purplish brown: spore measurements and reaction to Melzer's reagent required. (2/2)

~ Spores dextrinoid. (1/2)

Cap to 10.5 cm, orange brown, not changing color markedly as it dries out; gills crowded, white; stem to 9 cm x 2 mm, light tan; odor and taste not recorded; spores 4-5.5 x 4-4.5 µ, round; growing alone, gregariously, or in clusters on leaves or rotten wood. (Note: the 10.5 cm cap may be a typo that has persisted since the time of Peck; a 9 cm x 2 mm stem hardly seems capable of holding it.) (1/2)

Rhodocollybia prolixa var. distorta
at NYBG
( = Collybia distorta)

Cap to 5 cm, violet brown, fading somewhat; gills close or crowded, buff; stem to 7 cm x 6 mm, white above, dirty below; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 5.5-7 x 3-4.5 µ, elliptical; growing gregariously or in clusters on rotten wood; found in northeastern and northwestern North America. (2/2)

Rhodocollybia unakensis
at NYBG
( = Collybia egregia)

~ Spores inamyloid. (2/2)

* Spores not typically exceeding 6.5 µ in length. (1/2)

Cap to 4 cm, brown, fading to buff; gills close, whitish; stem to 7 mm thick, pale above, brown below, sometimes twisted; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 6-7 x 2.5-3.5 µ, elliptical; growing in wood chips. (1/3)

Collybia brunneola

Cap to 4.5 cm, reddish brown, changing color markedly as it dries out, fading in age to buff; gills close or crowded, whitish developing pinkish shades; stem to 7 cm x 3 mm, dark reddish brown to violet brown; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 5.5-6.5 x 2.5-3 µ, elliptical; growing gregariously or in clusters on conifer wood; found in northern North America, Colorado, and Texas. (2/3)

Gymnopus acervatus
( = Collybia acervata)

Cap to 5 cm, dark reddish brown, changing color markedly as it dries out, fading in age to pale orange brown or buff; gills close or crowded, whitish to buff; stem to 5 cm x 5 mm, white above, colored like the cap below; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 5.5-6.5 x 3-3.5 µ, elliptical; growing scattered or gregariously (rarely in clusters) on soil or rotten wood in conifer and hardwood forests. (3/3)

Gymnopus dryophilus
( = Collybia dryophila)

* Most spores longer than 6.5 µ. (2/2)

Cap to 4 cm, brown to reddish brown or purple brown, fading to tan; gills nearly distant, pale or tan; stem to 10 cm x 4 mm, pale above, brown below, often minutely hairy or fuzzy; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 6-8 x 3-4 µ, elliptical; growing on humus or decayed wood of hardwoods (also conifers?); found in California, possibly elsewhere. (1/6)

Collybia fuscopurpurea species cluster
at BioImages; photos only

Cap to 4 cm, brown, fading to buff; gills close, whitish; stem to 7 mm thick, pale above, brown below, sometimes twisted; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 6-7 x 2.5-3.5 µ, elliptical; growing in wood chips. (2/6)

Collybia brunneola

Cap to 6 cm, reddish brown, fading to light brown; gills close or crowded, buff; stem to 10 cm x 10 mm, whitish above, brownish below; odor none, taste not distinctive or slightly unpleasant; spores 6.5-9 x 3-4.5 µ, elliptical; growing in clusters on wood or wood chips (sometimes on lawns). (3/6)

Gymnopus luxurians
( = Collybia luxurians)

Cap to 3.5 cm, dark brown to reddish brown, fading to light reddish brown; gills nearly distant, whitish to buff, sometimes spotting rusty; stem to 5 cm x 5 mm, whitish at apex, dark brown to reddish brown or nearly black below; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 10-12 x 3-4.5 µ, elliptical; growing gregariously on hardwood logs (especially beech). (4/6)

Gymnopus dichrous
at NYBG
( = Collybia dichrous)

Cap to 4 cm, broadly bell-shaped or with a wide "knob" (reminiscent of Marasmius oreades), brown to yellowish brown, sometimes fading at the margin; gills distant, yellowish to creamy, sometimes becoming faintly brownish near the cap margin; stem to 8 cm x 3 mm, whitish above, yellowish brown or dark brown below; odor not distinctive or slightly pungent, taste not distinctive or slightly alkaline; spores 7-10 x 3-5 µ, spindle-shaped to elliptical; growing in dense clusters in hardwood forests. (5/6)

Marasmius cohaerens

Cap to 5 cm, brown to reddish brown, fading to cinnamon; gills close or nearly distant, whitish or cream; stem to 5 cm x 3 mm, whitish above, brown or reddish brown below; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 7-11 x 3-4 µ, elliptical; growing scattered or gregariously on hardwood leaves or logs. (6/6)

Marasmius floridanus

Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2004, January). Key to collybioid mushrooms: Page two. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/collybioid_02.html