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