Armillaria gallica - Bulbous Honey Fungus

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

There are many forms of Honey Fungus, and in the past they all shared the scientific name Armillaria mellea. Nowadays it is generally accepted that there are several distinct species, one of which, Armillaria gallica, is distinguished by having a bulbous or swollen stem base. Armillaria gallica is on average a little smaller and usually darker than Armillaria mellea and its stem ring is insubstantial and ephemeral.

Synonym: Armillaria bulbosa

Identification Guide

Cap	4 to 10cm in diameter; colour ranging from ochre-brown to red-brown, usually somewhat darker near the centre. The cap flesh is white and firm. Initially convex with inrolled margins, the caps flatten and become slightly depressed with slightly wavy margins. Fine brown scales with darker tips cover the cap surfaces.
Gills	The adnate or weakly decurrent gills are crowded and initially almost white, gradually becoming yellowish-brown at maturity.
Stem	White at the apex; colour as cap below the ring zone, darkening as the fruitbody matures. 5 to 10mm in diameter and 5 to 12cm tall; bulbous towards the base where stems usually emerge from the substrate in clusters. The stem flesh is whitish, and there is a short-lived cobweb-like ring (reminiscent of the cortina characteristic of the genus Cortinarius) that collapses to leave a yellowish ring zone on the stem.
Spore print	White or very pale cream.
Odour/taste	Sweet odour but sometimes with a bitter taste.
Habitat	Saprobic on woodland litter, dead stumps and buried rotting wood of broad-leaf trees; very occasionally found under conifers.
Season	June to November.
Occurrence	Uncommon.
Similar species	Armillaria mellea, commonly referred to as Honey Fungus, is larger and paler but it has a persistent stem ring. Pholiota squarrosa is generally similar in colour and covered in scales; it retains an in-rolled margin, the gills turn uniformly rusty-brown, and it has a radish-like smell and taste.