Fleshy Fungi of New Brunswick >> Laccaria tortilis

Laccaria tortilis (Bolton Cooke) Peck

Clustered on bare soil in bush road, associated with Betula allegheniensis and Acer saccharum, Canoose Flowage Protected Natural Area, New Brunswick (23-06-18/02).

Basidiospores white in spore print, subglobose to globose, inamyloid, 10.5-13.6 X 10.4-12.6 μm, D/d = 1.00-1.15 (average[15]: 11.7 X 11.1 μm, D/d = 1.06), densely covered with conical spines up to 3.5 μm in length.

This tiny mushroom is easily overlooked and is not considered to be very common. It is recognized by its small striate pileus and, under the microscope, by having 2-spored basidia and large spectacular basidiospores bearing sharp conical spines more than 3 μm in length. Laccaria pumila, another species found in New Brunswick having 2-spored basidia, differs from L. tortilis in having more ellipsoidal basidiospores with shorter and less conspicuous spines.

Photo: D. Malloch (23-06-18/02).