''Gymnopus dryophilus'' is a mushroom commonly found in temperate woodlands of Europe and North America. It is generally saprophytic, but occasionally also attacks living wood. It belongs to section ''Levipedes'' of the genus, being characterized by a smooth

stem Stem or STEM may refer to: Plant structures * Plant stem, a plant's aboveground axis, made of vascular tissue, off which leaves and flowers hang * Stipe (botany), a stalk to support some other structure * Stipe (mycology), the stem of a mushro ...

having no hairs at the base (in contrast to section ''Vestipedes''). Until recently it was most frequently known as ''Collybia dryophila''.

Description

The cap is in diameter, convex, and reddish-brown to ochre (fading to tan with dryness); they become more irregular in shape with age. The gills, which are only thinly attached to the stem (detaching with age), are whitish and crowded. The spore powder is white; the buff spores do not react in Melzer's reagent. The bald

ranges from long by 3–6 mm in diameter, sometimes thicker at the base.Courtecuisse, R. & Duhem, B. (1994) "Guide des champignons de France et d'Europe" Delachaux et Niestlé , also available in EnglishMarcel Bon: ''The Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain and North-Western Europe'' Hodder & Stoughton . The taste is palatable. Microscopically the spores are 6×3 µm in size and slightly tear-shaped, there are lobed club-shaped cystidia (15–50 µm × 2–6 µm), and the

hypha A hypha (; ) is a long, branching, filamentous structure of a fungus, oomycete, or actinobacterium. In most fungi, hyphae are the main mode of vegetative growth, and are collectively called a mycelium. Structure A hypha consists of one or ...

e on the cap

cuticle A cuticle (), or cuticula, is any of a variety of tough but flexible, non-mineral outer coverings of an organism, or parts of an organism, that provide protection. Various types of "cuticle" are non- homologous, differing in their origin, structu ...

can also have lobes. It is contended that ''G. dryophilus'' in fact consists of a complex of different species and that several new species (including ''G. brunneolus'', ''G. earleae'' and ''G. subsulphureus'') should be split off from it. However these species are not generally recognized at present. One similar species is ''

Rhodocollybia butyracea ''Rhodocollybia butyracea'', common name Buttery Collybia, is a species of fungus in the mushroom family Omphalotaceae. It has a number of subspecies. Description The cap of this mushroom is 2 to 10 cm across. It is convex and becomes b ...

'', which has a pinkish spore deposit, and some of the spores turn reddish-brown in Melzer's reagent. The species may carry the parasite ''Syzygospora mycetophila'', which causes pale growths on the mushroom surface.

Distribution and habitat

This fungus is very common in northern hemisphere temperate woodlands (so much so that it is sometimes considered a "weed" mushroom).Kuo, M. (2008, May)
''Gymnopus dryophilus''
at the MushroomExpert.Com Web site) It fruits from April to December and is often seen when there are few other fungi in evidence. Although the Greek

epithet An epithet (, ), also byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) known for accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, di ...

''dryophilus'' means "lover of oak trees", it is also found with other broad-leaved trees and with

conifer Conifers are a group of conifer cone, cone-bearing Spermatophyte, seed plants, a subset of gymnosperms. Scientifically, they make up the phylum, division Pinophyta (), also known as Coniferophyta () or Coniferae. The division contains a single ...

s. Grows in arcs and fairy rings in oak and pine woods, or as clusters on wood chip mulch from May to October.

Edibility

''Gymnopus dryophilus'' contains toxins which may cause severe gastrointestinal issues. However, it has been listed as edible by some sources, though not worthwhile. It is recommended not to eat the stem, which is tough. It has been found to contain anti-inflammatory

beta-glucans Beta-glucans, β-glucans comprise a group of β-D-glucose polysaccharides (glucans) naturally occurring in the cell walls of cereals, bacteria, and Fungus, fungi, with significantly differing Physical chemistry, physicochemical properties depend ...

.Pacheco-Sanchez M, Boutin Y, Angers P, Gosselin A, Tweddell RJ. (2006). A bioactive (1→3)-, (1→4)-β-D-glucan from ''Collybia dryophila'' and other mushrooms. '' Mycologia''. 98(2): 180-5. The mushroom has a sweet nutty flavor and should not be eaten in contaminated places like industrial or near roads due to its capacity to take up mercury. It is edible but may cause gastrointestinal issues in some people.

References

External links

Index FungorumUSDA ARS Fungal Database
by Robert Sasata, ''Healing-Mushrooms.net'', December, 2007. *Kuo, M. (2008, May

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gymnopus Dryophilus Fungal plant pathogens and diseases Fungi of Europe Marasmiaceae Taxa named by Jean Baptiste François Pierre Bulliard