Hypholoma marginatum - Snakeskin Brownie

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

The cap colour of this uncommon mushroom is very variable and therefore not a helpful identification feature; however, that is hardly a problem because the snakeskin patterning on the stem is so distinctive.

This inedible species can be found, often in great numbers, in coniferous forests, where it springs up through the needle litter in autumn. (The Snakeskin Brownie is saprobic on dead, decaying needle litter.)

Identification Guide

Cap	4 to 9cm across, convex, flattening out at maturity but retaining a shallow umbo; inrolled margin of young caps covered with woolly remnants of the partial veil; brick red in centre, paler towards margin.
Gills	Adnate; crowded; cream turning olive then purplish brown as spores mature.
Stem	5 to 10cm long and 0.6 to 1.5cm dia.; fibrous; light ochre at apex, darkening progressively to a reddish-brown base; a faint ring zone isusually discernable.
Spore print	Purple-brown.
Odour/taste	No significant odour; the taste can be mild or bitter. Considered inedible by most authorities.
Habitat	In small tufts or singly on hardwood stumps, particularly oaks, and on buried or exposed roots of dead hardwood trees.
Season	July to October.
Occurrence	Infrequent.
Similar species	Hypholoma capnoides, commonly referred to as Conifer Tuft, is usually smaller and grows on conifer stumps; it is much more common than the Brick Tuft.

Reference Sources

Fascinated by Fungi, Pat O'Reilly 2011.

Dictionary of the Fungi; Paul M. Kirk, Paul F. Cannon, David W. Minter and J. A. Stalpers; CABI, 2008

Taxonomic history and synonym information on these pages is drawn from many sources but in particular from the British Mycological Society's GB Checklist of Fungi and (for basidiomycetes) on Kew's Checklist of the British & Irish Basidiomycota.