Postia ptychogaster Postia ptychogaster is a species of mushroom-forming fungus that occurs on conifer stumps and logs on the ground in moist, shaded woodlands. It is often one of the last species to be involved in the wood decay process, and appears on substrates where the decomposition process is already well established. The fruiting body is unusual for a bracket fungus in that it begins as a solid mass of white to buff powder. This anamorphic (asexual) stage is a dense, c

Mycena californiensis Mycena californiensis is a saprotrophic mushroom species with a small, slender, and fragile fruiting body. This species occurs in forested regions of western North America, where it grows and fruits on litter, wood, or conifer needles in moist, shaded areas. The bell-shaped and translucent caps are whitish to pale gray or tan. Fruiting bodies of M. californiensis are ephemeral, most often observed following autumn rain [1][2]. Ecologically, M. californie

Crucibulum laeve Crucibulum laeve is easily one of the most iconic and familiar species of Nidulariaceae. The namesake is derived from Latin, in reference to a small bird's nest (Crucibulum laeve translates to 'smooth little cradle'). The fruiting body is a small cup-shaped structure, with several little "eggs" suspended within. Called peridioles, they are filled with spores and held in place in the cup by thin threads known as funiculi. When the cup is splashed by a raindrop

Boletus edulis Boletus edulis, commonly called porcini, is a widely edible species of mushroom highly valued for its rich, nutty flavor and firm texture. Ecologically, it forms symbiotic associations with the roots of various trees, such as pine, spruce, fir, and oak, in the Northern Hemisphere. This mycorrhizal relationship benefits both the tree and the mushroom, helping the former to absorb water and nutrients while the latter receives carbohydrates [1][2]. Porcini mushroo

Entoloma mougeotii Entoloma mougeotii has a slight violet-blue to gray cap and, later on, gills which change from white to pink as the spores mature. It is found during the summer or early autumn in mossy ground or grassy banks and leaf litter [1][2]. In terms of ecological function, this species is saprotrophic, helping to decompose leaf litter, mosses, and organic matter, thereby recycling nutrients into the soil. It also plays a role in maintaining microbial diversity in i

Tremella fuciformis Tremella fuciformis (snow fungus or white jelly fungus) creates translucent, gelatinous fruiting bodies that look like clusters of coral or soft, frilled blossoms. It is located on the surface of rotting hardwoods in humid forests, especially after rain, when moisture levels are high. T. fuciformis parasitizes other wood-decaying fungi, mainly species of Hypoxylon, and derives nutrients from its mycelium [1][2]. Ecologically, T. fuciformis has an important

Mycena galericulata Mycena galericulata is a saprotrophic wood-decay species that can be found growing in clusters on stumps of well-rotted hardwood or fallen logs and branches of hardwood in the shaded forest understory. Here it creates a "mat" of hyphae interwoven into the decomposing wood, furthering the forest's final arboreal decay [1]. The cap of M. galericulata is bell-shaped and striated with a pale gray to soft brown color. The gills are spaced far apart and run down

Picipes badius Picipes badius is a wood-decay fungus. An inedible fungus, Picipes badius, is widely distributed in temperate forests and grows on the deadwood of hardwood trees, including fallen trunks, logs, and stumps. It features a tough, shelf-like fruiting body with a smooth to velvety brown upper surface and a distinctly dark, almost black, stipe base. This melanized stipe not only contributes to the common name Black Foot Polypore but also enhances the structural integ

Panellus stipticus Panellus stipticus is a small saprobic wood-decay fungus that grows gregariously in overlapping groups on the stumps or fallen hardwood logs in temperate forests. It has fan-shaped to semicircular, pale ochre to tawny brown caps that are often velvety and irregularly concentrically zoned. The gills are decurrent on a short lateral stem. It is a widely distributed species with a circumboreal distribution. In some regions its fruiting bodies are weakly biolum

Psathyrella candolleana Psathyrella candolleana is a saprotrophic fungus widespread and common in woods, grassy margins, and parks, where it decomposes buried wood and roots and leaf litter. The cap is hygrophanous, with a honey-brown colour when fresh and pale cream when dry; it is borne on a long, slender, fragile stipe, giving the fungus a typical Psathyrella frail, ephemeral appearance [1][2]. Ecologically, P. candolleana and its fellow saprotrophs have important roles in

Bolbitius titubans Bolbitius titubans is a short-lived saprobe that grows after rain in fertile ground, grassland or mulch, and in dung-rich soils. It is capable of fruiting in any place where a transient flush of nutrients, due to decomposition or other processes, makes a substrate temporarily available. By taking advantage of these ephemeral substrates, it sometimes fruits at night, only to collapse by the middle of the day. The cap is initially a bright, shiny yellow color

Hygrophorus eburneus Hygrophorus eburneus is a soft, wax-capped mushroom. Its smooth, free fruiting body is pearly white and translucent, with a natural sheen, or luster. The cap is slimy when wet and becomes silky to the touch as it dries. The gills are thick, waxy, and have a decurrent attachment to the stipe (Grove, 1994). The translucency and texture of this species lend to the soft, folded look of its tissue that led to the common name, Cowboy's Handkerchief [1][2]. Ecol

Amanita gemmata A. gemmata, the Gemmed Amanita, is an attractive and conspicuous species of woodland mushroom. It has a bright golden-yellow cap with sparse white, wart-like spots that are reminiscent of small gems. The gills are free and white, and the overall structure includes a stout stipe with a membranous ring (annulus) and a basal volva, which are typical features of Amanita mushrooms [1][2]. Ecologically, A. gemmata establishes ectomycorrhizal relationships with vario

Pluteus cervinus Pluteus cervinus, the Deer Mushroom, is a saprotrophic species that has a smooth and brownish cap, sometimes with faint radial fibers that are said to resemble deer fur. The gills are free, and white to pink as the spores mature. The stipe is slender and whitish to brownish in color. It has neither a ring nor a volva, which can help separate it from some superficially similar mushrooms [1][2]. P. cervinus is a hardwood decomposer, growing on logs, stumps, and

Agaricus campestris Agaricus campestris is commonly known as the Field Mushroom. It is a familiar and widely distributed grassland saprotroph, growing after rain on rich meadowland, pasture and lawns, especially in late summer and autumn. It is found in large numbers on rich grassland just below the soil surface where it rots dead organic material. The cap is smooth and pure white in young specimens, and flattens with maturity. Gills are free from the stipe and are pale pink

Amanita calyptroderma Amanita calyptroderma is commonly referred to as Coccora or the Pacific Amanita, is one of the most striking and honored mushrooms in the forests of western North America. A. calyptroderma is commonly found in the fall, underneath coast live oak, madrone, and conifers. The species forms a special symbiotic relationship with its host tree, called an ectomycorrhizal association. This involves the two organisms exchange nutrients, water, and signaling molec

Coprinellus disseminatus Coprinellus disseminatus (Fairy Inkcap) is a fragile and often prolific wood decomposer that may fruit in dense clumps at the bases of decaying stumps, at the tips of buried wood and fallen branches. The fruitbodies tend not to deliquesce (turn to black ink) like most other inkcaps, but to dry up and fade, perhaps because of their adaptation to mass fruiting over broad expanses of substrate. The small, grey to pale beige caps are finely grooved. The t

Artomyces pyxidatus Artomyces pyxidatus (Crown-Tipped Coral Fungus) is one of the most visually impressive saprobes (aka saprotrophs) that commonly grow on the wood of fallen hardwood trees in temperate zones. The coral fungus bears conspicuous clusters of thin, erect, creamy white to pale tan branches that end in small crown-shaped tips (crown-shaped tips are a key identification feature of the group), which provides a large surface area for spore production and dispersal [1