> Stem typically less than 5 mm wide. (1/2)

Page Four

> Stem fairly substantial, typically 5 mm wide or wider. (2/2)

° Easily recognized species. (1/2)

Cap deep purple and fairly smooth; gills yellow; stem purplish to pinkish; spores 3-4 x 2-3.5 µ; cystidia and clamp connections absent; found in the Rocky Mountains and possibly elsewhere in western North America. (1/7)

Calocybe onychina

Odor heavy and sweet, like benzaldehyde (reminiscent of the Russula subfoetens species cluster); cap 4-10 cm, brown to reddish brown, fading; gills crowded, creamy or yellowish, staining reddish in age; stem typically rooting somewhat; spores 6-8 x 3.5-5 µ, dextrinoid; found on the West Coast. (2/7)

Rhodocollybia oregonensis
( = Collybia oregonensis)

Cap to 9 cm, buff to pale cinnamon, developing rusty spots; gills close or crowded, whitish to buff, often spotting rusty; stem to 10 cm x 13 mm, whitish, developing rusty spots; odor none or unpleasant, taste bitter; spores 5.5-6.5 x 5-5.5, nearly round, round, or elliptical, dextrinoid; growing gregariously on conifer wood; found in northeastern North America. (3/7)

Rhodocollybia maculata
( = Collybia maculata)

Growing gregariously in grass (often in Fairy Rings); cap 1-5 cm, widely bell-shaped, tan, buff, or paler; gills fairly distant, whitish or tan; stem to 8 cm x 6 mm, tough, pliant; spores 7-10 x 4-6 µ, inamyloid; widely distributed. (4/7)

Marasmius oreades

Growing gregariously in grass (often in Fairy Rings); cap 1-3 cm, pink, the margin often wavy; gills crowded, pale; stem to 1.5 cm x 8 mm, pink, with white fuzz; spores 4.5-6 x 2-2.5 µ, inamyloid; widely distributed. (5/7)

Calocybe carnea

Growing under spruce; gills close, whitish, with conspicuously serrated edges in all stages of development (see photo); cap to 4.5 cm, cinnamon, fading to buff; stem to 6 cm x 6 mm, whitish; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 5.5-7.5 x 3.5-4.5 µ, elliptical; found in eastern North America, possibly elsewhere. (6/7)

Rhodocollybia lentinoides
at NYBG
( = Collybia lentinoides)

Growing under hardwoods; cap 3-20 cm, gray-brown, usually streaked-looking; stem usually with white cords at the base; odor and taste not distinctive; spores inamyloid, 7-9 x 4.5-7 µ; common in eastern North America in early summer, but reported from the West Coast and the Southwest. (7/7)

Megacollybia platyphylla

° Not as above: spore measurements, ornamentation, and reaction to Melzer's reagent required. (2/2)

~ Spores amyloid, minutely warted. (1/3)

Melanoleuca

~ Spores dextrinoid, smooth. (2/3)

Note: if your mushroom was growing under hardwoods, you can safely skip this group.

Cap to 6 cm, reddish brown, fading in age; gills white, the edges finely serrated; stem to 11 cm x 9 mm, pale above, tan or buff below; odor not distinctive, taste mild or slightly bitter; spores 3.5-5 x 3.5-5 µ, round or nearly so; growing on soil or on wood in conifer forests; found in the Pacific Northwest. (1/2)

Rhodocollybia badiialba
at MykoWeb
( = Collybia badiialba)

Cap to 4.5 cm, reddish brown, fading in age to cinnamon; gills white becoming slightly pinkish, the edges even; stem to 6 cm x 10 mm, colored like the cap or paler; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 7-9 x 3.5-4 µ, elliptical; growing under conifers; widely distributed. (2/2)

Rhodocollybia butyracea
at NYBG
( = Collybia butyracea)

~ Spores inamyloid, smooth. (3/3)

* Spores not typically longer than 6.5 µ (1/2)

Cap dark reddish brown, changing color markedly as it dries out, fading in age to pale orange brown or buff, greasy; gills close or crowded, whitish to buff; 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. (1/2)

Gymnopus dryophilus
( = Collybia dryophila)

Cap cinnamon or paler; gills nearly distant, whitish but darkening with age; stem to 6 cm x 7 mm, whitish or cinnamon buff, typically grooved; odor not distinctive, taste not distinctive or slightly bitterish or unpleasant; spores 5.5-6.5 x 2-3 µ, elliptical or nearly cylindrical; growing gregariously or in loose clusters on soil or rotten wood. (2/2)

Gymnopus striatipes
at NYBG
( = Collybia cylindrospora)

* Most spores longer than 6.5 µ (2/2)

Cap to 4 cm, reddish brown, fading to cinnamon or paler; gills close or crowded, creamy or with a pinkish cast; stem to 10 cm x 4 mm, pale above, cinnamon below, often minutely fuzzy; odor and taste not distinctive; spores 7-9 x 3.5-4 µ, elliptical; growing gregariously or in clusters under hardwoods or conifers; widely distributed. (1/3)

Gymnopus confluens
at NYBG
( = Collybia confluens)

Cap to 4 cm, cinnamon brown, fading with age; gills close or nearly distant, whitish; stem to 6.5 cm x 6 mm, pale cinnamon; spores 8.5-10 x 3.5-4 µ, elliptical; growing gregariously or in loose clusters under hardwoods; found in eastern North America. (2/3)

Gymnopus subterginus
at NYBG
( = Collybia subtergina)

Cap to 6.5 cm, yellowish to orangish yellow; gills close or crowded, yellowish, or with a pinkish cast; stem to 7.5 cm x 10 mm, pale; spores 6-8 x 3-5 µ, elliptical; growing gregariously or in loose clusters under hardwoods; found in eastern North America. (3/3)

Marasmius strictipes

Cite this page as:

Kuo, M. (2004, January). Key to Collybia, what used to be Collybia, and mushrooms kind of like what used to be Collybias, in North America: Page three. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/collybioid_03.html