Entoloma sericeum

Description

Entoloma sericeum is recognized by relatively small, umbonate, dark brown to dark grayish brown, hygrophanous, striate caps, grayish-brown gills, a slender grayish-brown stipe, and farinaceous odor. A widely distributed and commonly collected species prefers poor soils in open grassy areas. Entoloma vernum looks similar but has a more conical, silky-streaked cap, mild odor, and fruits in the spring under montane conifers.

Common names: Silky Pinkgill.

Mushroom Identification

1. Cap

   2.5 to 5 cm across; initially conical, developing an umbo as it becomes broadly convex; hygrophanous, darker brown when wet and much paler, often streaky buff when dry; surface smooth with silky radial fibrils.

2. Gills

   Sinuate; pale grey at first, becoming pinkish grey and eventually brown.

3. Stem

   3 to 6 cm long and 4 to 10 mm diameter; color as cap but paler towards base; with longitudinal silky fibrils; cylindrical; no ring.

4. Spores

   Mostly five- or six-angled (pentagonal or hexagonal) in side view; 7-10.5 x 6.5-9.5 μm.

5. Spore Print

   Brownish pink.

6. Odor and Taste

   Not distinctive.

7. Habitat & Ecological Role

   Saprobic, usually in small groups in unimproved grassland.

Look-Alikes

1. Entoloma rhodopolium

   Similar in cap color.

2. Entoloma cetratum

   Warmer honey brown.

3. Entoloma conferendum

   Has star-shaped spores

History

In 1789 Jean Baptiste Francois (Pierre) Bulliard describe this species, when he gave it the binomial name Agaricus sericeus.

In 1872 Lucien Quelet transferred this species to its present genus, at which point its scientific name became Entoloma sericeum.

Synonyns of Entoloma sericeum include Agaricus sericeus Bull., Rhodophyllus sericeus (Bull.) Quél., Nolanea sericea (Bull.) P.D. Orton, and Entoloma sericeum f. nolaniforme (Kühner & Romagn.) Noordel.

Some authorities recognize two varieties of this species. Entoloma sericeum var. cinereo-opacum Noordel has a darkish gray-brown cap and a non-striate (or minimally striate) margin. The nominate variety (the first validly described taxon) Entoloma sericeum var. sericeum (Bull.) Quél. is much more common and has a translucently striate margin when wet. Other characters of the two varieties are identical, however.

The generic name Entoloma comes from ancient Greek words entos, meaning inner, and lóma, meaning a fringe or a hem. It is a reference to the inrolled margins of many of the mushrooms in this genus.

The specific epithet sericeum comes from Latin and means 'of silk' or 'silky- a reference to the texture of the cap cuticle'.

Photo sources:

Photo 1 - Author: Strobilomyces (CC BY-SA 3.0, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic)

Photo 2 - Author: Strobilomyces (CC BY-SA 3.0, 2.5 Generic, 2.0 Generic and 1.0 Generic)

Photo 3 - Author: Michel Langeveld (CC BY-SA 4.0)