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Kuehneromyces mutabilis

 
Common names for this attractive species are Brown Stew Fungus and Two-toned Pholiota, so-called because the cap is a shiny cinnamon-orange when wet but dries a light tan colour.

This attractive, edible fungus appears throughout the year, often in large tufts. You may find it recorded under the scientific names Galerina mutabilis or Pholiota mutabilis in some books.

Cap

3 to 8 cm in diameter, convex becoming flattened with a broad umbo; bright tan, drying out to pale ochre from the centre and giving a two-toned (zonate) appearance.

The cap flesh is pale tan and quite thin.

Gills

Adnate and crowded, the gills are pale ochre at first and become cinnamon as the spores mature.

Stipe

Pale and smooth above the ragged stem ring; fibrous, scaly and dark tan below, graduating to almost black at the base. 5 to 10 mm in diameter and 3 to 8 cm tall; usually curved. The flesh of the solid stem is pale tan at the apex, graduating to dark brown at the base.

Spore print

Reddish-ochre.

Odour/taste

Not distinctive.

Habitat

On stumps, felled trunks and logs of broad-leaf trees, particularly birch.

Season

Throughout the year, but most plentiful in summer and autumn.

Occurrence

Very common.

Similar species

  1. Flammulina velutipes, commonly called Velvet Shank, has a darker, velvety stem and leaves a white spore print.

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