Mycena amicta

🏷️ Description

Mycena amicta, also known as the Coldfoot Bonnet, is a small but stunning mushroom found in the moist forests of the Pacific Northwest. First described in 1821 by mycologist Elias Magnus Fries, this mushroom is famous for its beautiful blue color, which gradually fades to brown as it ages.

Growing on decayed wood of both conifer and broad-leaved trees, Mycena amicta is a fascinating find for mushroom enthusiasts. Its delicate cap, close gills, and powdery stipe make it easy to recognize, especially when young and vibrant. Although inedible, this mushroom adds a splash of fleeting color to the forest floor, making it a delightful discovery for nature lovers.

⚠️ Inedible: Despite its enchanting looks, Mycena amicta is inedible, so it's best admired in its natural habitat. 🚫

🎨 Look-Alikes: Other Mycena species can look similar, but the bluish tints, peelable cap cuticle, and powdery stipe make Mycena amicta distinct, especially when young. However, as it ages and the blue fades, careful examination of its morphological and microscopic features is crucial for accurate identification. 🔍

🔎 Identification

🍄 Cap: The cap of Mycena amicta starts off conical to convex and flattens with age, growing up to 1.5 cm (0.6 in) in diameter. Fresh specimens boast a striking bluish hue, which gracefully fades to brownish tones as they mature. The cap is pruinose and slightly viscid when moist, with a translucent-striate surface. A distinguishing feature is its peelable, gelatinous cuticle. 🍂

🌿 Gills: The gills are close, narrow, and ascending-adnate. They transition from whitish to pale-grey, with minutely fringed edges, adding a delicate touch to its overall appearance. 🌱

📏 Stem: The stem is slender, hollow, and typically 1.18 to 2.76 inches (3 to 7 cm) long. It's covered with a fine, powdery pubescence that may exhibit a bluish-grey tint, especially near the base. This feature is more prominent in younger specimens. The base can sometimes show blue-green stains, adding a splash of color. 🌿

🌍 Habitat & Distribution: Mycenaamicta prefers to grow on decayed wood and woody debris, especially from conifers, but it can also be found on broad-leaved trees. It flourishes in the Pacific Northwest, typically appearing in small groups or solitary. Look for it after snowmelt in spring or in coastal forests during fall and winter. 🍁

🔬 Microscopic Details:

• Spores: Spores are broadly elliptical to tear-shaped, measuring 7.5-10.7 x 4.5-6 µm, and are amyloid.

• Cheilocystidia: Cylindrical to clavate, aiding in precise identification.

• Pleurocystidia: Not present, which sets this species apart from many others.

📜 Synonyms

• Agaricus amictus Fries (1821)

• Agaricus iris Berkeley (1836)

• Agaricus limbatus Lasch (1849)

• Mycena iris (Berkeley) Quélet (1872)

• Agaricus mirabilis Cooke & Quélet (1878)

• Mycena calorhiza Bresadola (1881)

• Agaricus calorhizus (Bresadola) G. Winter (1882)

• Mycena iris var. mirabilis(Cooke & Quélet) Quélet (1886)

• Mycena iris var. amicta(Fries) Quélet (1886)

• Mycena limbata (Lasch) Saccardo (1887)

• Agaricus coerulescens J. Schröter (1889)

• Mycena mirabilis (Cooke & Quélet) Massee (1893)

• Agaricus incongruens Britzelmayr (1898)

• Mycena incongruens (Britzelmayr) Saccardo & Traverso (1911)

• Mycena iris var. caerulea Rea (1913)

• Insiticia amicta var. iris (Berkeley) Parker-Rhodes (1951)

• Insiticia amicta (Fries) Parker-Rhodes (1951)

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: Alan Rockefeller (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Photo 2 - Author: Alan Rockefeller (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Photo 3 - Author: Mandy Hackney (CC BY 4.0)

Photo 4 - Author: Michele Wiseman (CC BY 4.0)