Lentinellus cochleatus - Tawny Cockleshell

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Russulales

Family: Auriscalpiaceae

Shaped like a cornet with a notch taken out of one side, Lentinellus cochleatus is an occasional fungus that appears on hardwood stumps in autumn. It has a mild aniseed odour and flavour, and as a result one of its other common names is the Aniseed Cockleshell.

Despite having the word Tawny in its common name the colour of the cap is very variable, with some specimens so pale that creamy-yellow is a fair description, while others are as dark as chestnut brown.

Identification guide

	Cap 3 to 7cm in diameter; a shell-shaped or sometimes funnel-shaped cap with a split down one side and the stipe offset from centre. Gills Decurrent, crowded and very narrow with toothed edges; almost white, becoming pink and sometimes with inter-vein brown marks. Stem Eccentric, tough and the same colour as the cap, becoming rusty brown at maturity.
Spore print	White.
Odour/taste	Sometimes not distinctive, but there is a commonly occurring form with an aniseed taste and smell.
Habitat	On or beside stumps; also beside woodland footpaths.
Season	August to November.
Occurrence	Frequent
Similar species	Could be confused with the Branched Oyster Mushroom, Pleurotus cornucopiae, which is typically much larger and usually paler with gills that do not have toothed edges.