Fleshy Fungi of New Brunswick >> Mycena cf. galericulata

Mycena cf. galericulata (Scop.:Fr.) Gillet

Solitary amongst mosses at base of small boulder in beech-maple forest, Spednic Lake Protected Natural Area, New Brunswick(17-06-18/02).

Basidiospores white in spore print, subglobose to broadly ellipsoidal, amyloid, appearing to be very finely roughened (but this is probably an artifact), 6.4-8.5 X 5.3-7.4 µm, D/d = 1.07-1.27 (average[28]: 7.0 X 6.1 µm, D/d = 1.15). Cheilocystidia forming a continuous sterile margin, irregularly clavate, sometimes lobed, stipitate, covered above the stipe with finger-like extensions.

Although this collection is compared with M. galericulata there are reasons to question its placement there. Its growth amongst mosses rather than on wood and its smaller and nearly globose basidiospores are not characteristic of that species. On the other hand, the cheilocystidia are entirely like those of M, galericulata. It is closer to Mycena radicatella, found in the same area and on the same day, but differs in its growth amongst mosses rather than wood and in the structure of the upper part of its pileus. A cross section of the pileipellis of that species shows the tissues immediately below the coralloid pellis as composed of narrow hyphae seated above much broader hyphae. In Collection 17-06-18/02 the subpellis is composed of short broad hyphae seated above much narrower hyphae. A final decision about the placement of this collection awaits further study.

Photograph: D. Malloch (17-06-18/02).