Stropharia coronilla - Garland Roundhead

Taxonomy

Phylum: Basidiomycota

Class: Agaricomycetes

Order: Agaricales

Family: Strophariaceae

In lowland pastures and on lawns, this occasional roundhead appears sometimes in small groups but more often singly and widely scattered. Bold striations on the upper surface of the stem ring clearly distinguish the Garland Roundhead from other yellow-ochre mushrooms of similar size.

It is not unusual for these chunky mushrooms to be mistaken for small Agaricus species, but as they are edible (not to be confused with ‘nice to eat’) the consequence is not too bad.

Identification Guide

Cap	2.5 to 4cm across; initially convex, becoming flat; surface felty or finely scaly; yellow-ochre, often slightly darker towards centre.
Gills	Adnate; fairly crowded; pale grey-brown, becoming purple-brown at maturity.
Stem	2 to 5cm long and 6 to 8mm dia.; white, yellowing with age; smooth at apex, finely fibrillose below ring; small white persistent ring with a striate upper surface.
Spore print	Purple-brown.
Odour/taste	Not distinctive.
Habitat	Most Stropharia species occur on rotten wood, well-rotted grass or animal dung, but the Garland Roundhead is one of a select few that grow in grass (albeit usually on nutrient-rich soil) in meadows, parks and gardens.
Season	June to November.
Occurrence	Only occasional in most areas but can be fairly common in some localities.
Similar species	Panaeolus semiovatus sometimes expands to almost flat; however, it grows on dung and its gills blacken to provide a black spore print.