Mycena floridula
Description
☠️ Mycena floridula is a poisonous charming member of the Adonideae section, distinguished by its striking pink cap that can fade to a pale yellow over time. This fascinating fungus is primarily found in Northern and Central Europe, particularly thriving on spruce litter in coniferous forests like those of Southeast Norway. Its bright colors can make it a delightful find for mushroom enthusiasts, though faded specimens can easily be confused with similar species, such as Agaricus flavoalba.
🔎 Identification: The key to recognizing M. floridula lies in its unique characteristics. Unlike its close relative Mycena adonis, which generally exhibits a brighter hue and lacks yellowing as it ages, M. floridula displays a notable yellowing with age. The spores of M. floridula are typically pip-shaped to cylindrical, while those of M. adonis are broader, making spore shape a useful distinguishing feature.
✨ Interesting Fact: Despite the confusion surrounding its classification—some even consider it a color form of M. flavoalba—M. floridula can regain its vibrant color upon drying, showcasing its resilience and adaptability in various environments. 🌱
Common names: German (Glasstielhelmling, Glasstieliger Helmling), France (Mycène jeune-fleur), Denmark (Koralrød huesvamp).
Mushroom Identification
🍄 Cap:
Size: 5-15 mm across
Shape: Initially hemispherical, then conical to convex, sometimes depressed at the center.
Color: Bright coral red when young, transitioning to pink with a paler margin, eventually fading to straw yellow with a faint pinkish hue.
Surface: Glabrous (smooth) and translucent, sometimes shallowly sulcate (grooved).
🌸 Gills:
Number: 18-27, reaching the stem.
Type: Narrowly to somewhat broader adnate, sometimes decurrent with a short tooth.
Color: Yellowish-white to pale pink with paler edges, becoming intervenose (veined).
🦵 Stem:
Size: 30-65 mm tall and 1-1.5 mm thick, hollow and terete (cylindrical).
Color: White to yellow-white, with a base densely covered in white fibrils.
Texture: Smooth and glabrous, except for a pruinose (powdery) apex.
👃👅 Odor and Taste:
Odor: Insignificant 🌬️
Taste: Mild, not distinctive 🍽️
🔬 Microscopic Features:
Spores: 7-9.5 x 3.5-5 µm, pip-shaped to almost cylindrical, smooth, and non-amyloid.
Basidia: 24-30 x 5.5-6 µm, clavate (club-shaped), with 4 spores.
Cheilocystidia: 40-53 x 7-11 µm, mixed with basidia, fusiform (spindle-shaped) to lageniform (flask-shaped).
🌳 Habitat:
Typically found in mixed forests, especially among peat moss, herbs, and grasses throughout Northern and Central Europe.
Season: Typically observed from summer to autumn, though it remains quite rare (listed as endangered in Switzerland).
Photo sources:
Photo 1 - Author: Arne Aronsen/Naturhistorisk museum, Universitetet i Oslo (CC BY-SA 3.0)
