Kuehneromyces Mutabilis
Image by Michael Wood
Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, also known as the false chanterelle, is a mushroom species that is found in North America and Europe.
Description
1. Cap: The cap of Kuehneromyces mutabilis is typically brownish in color, and is usually smooth or slightly fibrillose. It is usually convex or conical in shape when young, but becomes flatter with age. The cap is typically between 2-5 cm in diameter.
2. Gills: The gills of Kuehneromyces mutabilis are attached to the stem, and are usually whitish to grayish in color. They are usually slightly crowded together, and are sometimes covered by a veil-like membrane when young.
3. Stem: The stem of Kuehneromyces mutabilis is typically whitish to grayish in color, and is usually slightly fibrillose. It is typically equal in diameter or slightly thicker at the base, and can be up to 10 cm tall.
4. Spore print: The spore print of Kuehneromyces mutabilis is usually dark brown in color.
5. Habitat: Kuehneromyces mutabilis is commonly found in forests, often growing on the ground or on dead wood, especially in the fall.
6. Lookalikes: Kuehneromyces mutabilis can be easily confused with other small brown mushrooms, such as Galerina species, some of which are poisonous. Another potential lookalike is the species Stropharia aeruginosa, which has a bluish-green tint to the cap and stem, and is also poisonous. It is important to be very careful when identifying mushrooms, and to use multiple identifying factors to confirm the identity of a species.
