Psathyrella rugocephala

Common Name: Wrinkled-cap Psathyrella

Synonyms:

Substrate: Wood

Location: Hardwoods

Spore Color: Dark Purplish Brown

Gill Color: Mottled Purplish-brown to Black

Comments: 

The main thing that should stick out about this mushroom are the wrinkles on the cap. That combined with the dark spores would normally lead you to Psathyrella delineata, but this one is a bit different. This mushroom is in the subgenus Lacrymaria, so it is a bit more similar to Lacrymaria velutina or Psathyrella echiniceps. It has a mottled black gill surface, and a lighter color to the cap than P. delineata. Microscopically, it should have warts on the spores.

Lookalikes:  

Psathyrella delineata is almost identical morphologically, but has smaller, smooth spores, and a darker color to the cap. Both have wrinkles on the cap surface.

Pictures:

8/22/12 - Summit Lake State Park - New Castle, IN