Mycena haematopus - Burgundydrop Bonnet

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

There are several Mycena species with pinkish caps, but what makes this one rather special is the dark red ‘blood’ that exudes from its cut flesh. The Burgundydrop Bonnet grows in fused tufts on dead hardwood stumps and trunks - oaks in particular - and only very occasionally on conifer stumps.

A similar but much smaller and more slender species, Mycena sanguinolenta, the Bleeding Bonnet, grows on forest-floor litter mainly under conifers.

Identification Guide

Cap	2 to 4cm across; conical, becoming bell shaped with a slight umbo; silky smooth; striate almost to centre when moist; usually pinkish-brown, sometimes reddish-brown, drying to pale greyish-pink.
	Gills Adnate or adnexed; white turning pale pink, often darker at the edges. Stem 4 to 7cm long and 2 to 3mm in dia.; pinkish-brown; no ring. Blood-red liquid oozes from cuts.
Spore print	White.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	On trunks and stumps and on fallen wood of deciduous broadleaf trees, particularly oaks; sometimes also on diseased parts of living trees.
Season	June to November.
Occurrence	Fairly common.
Similar species	Mycena polygramma has grooved stems. Mycena arcangeliana is distinguishede by its iodine-like odour.