''Mycena galericulata'' is a
mushroom
A mushroom or toadstool is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground, on soil, or on its food source. ''Toadstool'' generally denotes one poisonous to humans.
The standard for the name "mushroom" is ...
species commonly known as the common bonnet, the toque mycena, the common mycena or the rosy-gill fairy helmet. The
type species
In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considered to be permanently taxonomically associated, i.e., the species that contains the biological type specime ...
of the genus ''
Mycena
''Mycena'' is a large genus of small saprotrophic mushrooms that are rarely more than a few centimeters in width. They are characterized by a white spore print, a small conical or bell-shaped cap, and a thin fragile stem. Most are gray or br ...
'' was first
described scientifically in 1772, but was not considered a ''Mycena'' until 1821. It is quite variable in color, size, and shape, which makes it somewhat difficult to reliably identify in the field. The mushrooms have
caps
Caps are flat headgear.
Caps or CAPS may also refer to:
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with distinct radial grooves, particularly at the margin. The cap's color varies from grayish brown to dark brown and the shape ranges from bell-like to bluntly conical to flattened with an
umbo. The
stem is hollow, white, tough and thin, without a
ring
Ring may refer to:
* Ring (jewellery), a round band, usually made of metal, worn as ornamental jewelry
* To make a sound with a bell, and the sound made by a bell
:(hence) to initiate a telephone connection
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and often roots deeply into the wood on which it grows. The
gills
A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they are ...
are white to grayish or even pinkish when mature and are connected by distinct cross-veins. The caps can reach in diameter, and have a mealy odor and taste. The
spore print
300px, Making a spore print of the mushroom ''Volvariella volvacea'' shown in composite: (photo lower half) mushroom cap laid on white and dark paper; (photo upper half) cap removed after 24 hours showing pinkish-tan spore print. A 3.5-centimeter ...
is white and the gills are pink at maturity, which can lead to possible confusion with species of the genus ''
Pluteus
''Pluteus'' is a large genus of fungi with over 300 species. They are wood rotting saprobes with pink spore prints and gills that are free from the stem.
The Latin word ''Pluteus'' means ''shed or penthouse''.
Characteristics of the genus ...
''. ''M. galericulata'' mushrooms grow mostly in clusters on the well-decayed stumps of
deciduous
In the fields of horticulture and Botany, the term ''deciduous'' () means "falling off at maturity" and "tending to fall off", in reference to trees and shrubs that seasonally shed leaves, usually in the autumn; to the shedding of petals, ...
and
coniferous trees from spring to autumn. The species can generally be considered