Page author: Wynn Tranfield
Gymnopus peronatus
wood woolly-foot
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: G. peronatus is a widespread and often extremely abundant species at lower elevations in the PNW, occurring in mixed woods on leaf litter and woody debris.

Spores: long and narrow and the edges of the gills have long, slender cheilocystidia

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Description:
Identification Notes:

Gymnopus peronatus is a medium-sized collybia with a brownish to ochraceous rounded cap with a small central umbo, radiating streaks, and a usually paler margin. The free gills are yellowish to light brownish, the stipe is tough, slender, yellowish to yellowish brown and darker in age, longitudinally fibrillose, and its base is enlarged, and covered with hairs and strands connected to abundant whitish to yellowish mycelium that permeates the leaf litter. The taste is mild for a short time then peppery hot, and the odor is often pleasant and spicy. The mushrooms are tough and persistent, rehydrate when moistened, and hang around a long time, often looking rather discolored and tattered in old age. The mycelium at times so impregnates the litter that one can lift up an entire section of the forest floor when attempting to pick some of the mushrooms. For the past several years this species has been widespread and extremely common in the Puget Sound area. However, despite its current abundance, there are no earlier records of it occurring here. For instance it was not recorded by Joanne Williams-Lennox in her 1975 PhD dissertation on collybias. The reasons for this phenomenon remain a mystery.

Accepted Name:
Gymnopus peronatus (Bolton: Fr.) AntonĂ­n, Halling & Noordel.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Gymnopus peronatus in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database.

CalPhotos: Gymnopus peronatus photos.

2 photographs:
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