Kuehneromyces mutabilis - Wood Tuft

Kuehneromyces mutabilis - Wood Tuft

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

Family: Strophariaceae

Other 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 synonyms Galerina mutabilis or Pholiota mutabilis in some books.

Identification Guide

Cap of Kuehneromyces mutabilis

Cap

3 to 8cm 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 and ste og Kuehneromyces mutabilis

Gills

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

Stem

Pale and smooth above the ragged stem ring; fibrous, scaly and dark tan below, graduating to almost black at the base. 5 to 10mm in diameter and 3 to 8cm 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

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

Galerina marginata is very similar and sometimes only separable for certain by microscopic examination; it is deadly poisonous.