Macrofungi

Covers mushrooms and other non-lichenized fungi that form multicellular fruiting bodies large enough to be seen with the unaided eye.

Browse by common name:
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
Common names beginning with C:
Ballen's American Caesar (Amanita calyptroderma)
Description: Completely enveloped in a thickish, white, cocoon-like veil when immature. hen expanded, the remains persist as large, irregular pieces on the cap surface, which is smooth and orange-brown to golden-brown or, in the spring-fruiting form, pale yellowish. The fills are white and the stem is white to pale yellowish with a membranous ring and a large, sack-like volva at the base.
Habitat: Woodlands
Substrate: firs, tan oak, and madrone
King Alfred's cakes (Daldinia grandis)
Pink Calocybe (Calocybe carnea)
Candy-cap (Lactarius rubidus)
Hypoxylon canker (Entoleuca mammata)
American slippery cap (Suillus americanus)
Conifercone cap (Baeospora myosura)
Description: Small, tan to whitish cap with crowded, white gills and white to brownish stalk; on fallen conifer cones
Substrate: Spruce and Douglas fir cones
Spores: September to October
Crumble cap (Coprinellus disseminatus)
Cucumber cap (Macrocystidia cucumis)
Distribution: Usually found in nutrient-rich soils among herbaceous plants in gardens and parks rather than in forests (although it can occur there, usually along trailsides).
Slippery cap (Leotia lubrica)
Carbon-antlers (Xylaria hypoxylon)
Habitat: Occurs on rotting wood.
Imperial cat (Catathelasma imperiale)
Swollen-stalked cat (Catathelasma ventricosum)
Distribution: Catathelasmas usually occur on calcareous soils in conifer forests, often in large local populations, forming arcs or rings of fruitbodies.
Cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis crispa)
Distribution: It occurs in northern North America, Europe, and Asia.
Spores: The spores are white and may be produced on both surfaces of the leaf-like branches.
Common cavalier (Melanoleuca melaleuca)
Golden cavalier (Tricholoma aurantium)
Irksome cavalier (Tricholoma inamoenum)
Description: Small to medium-sized fungi with wide-spaced, broad gills and a “coal gas” odor. Pale yellow fruitbodies. Coal gas is not something many people get an opportunity to smell nowadays but the odor of these mushrooms is strong and unpleasant for most people; some liken it to a heavy floral odor, such as that of Narcissus.
Distribution: Widely distributed in the Northern Hemisphere
Habitat: Under conifers
Spring cavalier (Melanoleuca cognata)
Spores: large spores (7.5--10 x 4.5--6.5 µm)
Waxygill cavalier (Tricholoma myomyces)
Cep (Boletus edulis)
Habitat: Occurs with conifers.
Champignon (Agaricus bisporus)
Description: Generally brown cap with flat feathery scales. Gills begin as pink but turn chocolate-brown. Stem is white and smooth with a slight ring. Flesh may turn pink when cut.
Habitat: parks, gardens, roadsides.
Champignon (Agaricus campestris)
Description: The popular edible meadow mushroom, as both its scientific and common names suggest, is usually found in fields or pastures (campestris means growing in a field in Latin), especially those rich in manure. The largest fruitings tend to occur when warm and wet weather coincide. It is a stocky, medium-sized, clean white mushroom with bright pink gills when young (another common name is pink bottom); however, as it ages it tends to become brown overall with dark chocolate gills. The cap may be somewhat fibrillose to scaly and, typically, the cuticle extends past the margin, like an overhanging table-cloth. The ring usually is thin and not persistent, and the base of the stipe often is tapered. It occurs nearly worldwide.
Distribution: Worldwide
Habitat: Found in fields or pastures, especially those rich in manure
Fairy ring champignon (Marasmius oreades)
Distribution: The most common species in the PNW, M. oreades, occurs in many parts of the world in lawns, parks, pastures, and other grassy areas, where it often grows in arcs or circles known as fairy rings.
Black chanterelle (Craterellus cornucopioides)
Description: thin-flashed caps that are funnel or trumpet shaped and hollow (deeply incurved margin). Surface has a texture of felt to scrufy-scaly. Coloration is gray-brown to black and continues from the cap to the hollow stem. The stipe is smooth to slightly wrinkled, brown to gray or same as cap, with decurrent wrinkles.
Habitat: In mossy woodland
Substrate: grows upon the ground
Black chanterelle (Polyozellus multiplex)
Distribution: Relatively uncommon Western North America, Japan and Korea
Habitat: Old-growth conifer forests
Blue chanterelle (Polyozellus multiplex)
Distribution: Relatively uncommon Western North America, Japan and Korea
Habitat: Old-growth conifer forests
Blue clustered chanterelle (Polyozellus multiplex)
Distribution: Relatively uncommon Western North America, Japan and Korea
Habitat: Old-growth conifer forests
Clustered blue chanterelle (Polyozellus multiplex)
Distribution: Relatively uncommon Western North America, Japan and Korea
Habitat: Old-growth conifer forests
False chanterelle (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca)
Funnel chanterelle (Craterellus tubaeformis)
Description: Small, slender, trumpet-shaped chanterelle with a brownish or orange-brown cap, hollow stipe, and penchant for growing on mossy rotten wood. It has a long fruiting season although, in most of the PNW, it is not common in winter.
Distribution: Western West Coast
Habitat: Moist forest; woodland
Substrate: Mossy rotten wood
Golden chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus)
Description: The species epithet formosus means “finely formed” or “beautiful” and this certainly is descriptive of many of our golden chanterelles. The fruitbodies are often large for a chanterelle, and have a dull orange to brownish orange cap that readily bruises brownish and often is finely scaly. The fertile ridges often are deep and relatively thin; they are usually pale orange-yellow but may have a pinkish cast. The stipe usually is fairly slender and tapered downward.
Distribution: Broad Abundant through moist portions
Habitat: Moist ground
Pacific chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus)
Description: The species epithet formosus means “finely formed” or “beautiful” and this certainly is descriptive of many of our golden chanterelles. The fruitbodies are often large for a chanterelle, and have a dull orange to brownish orange cap that readily bruises brownish and often is finely scaly. The fertile ridges often are deep and relatively thin; they are usually pale orange-yellow but may have a pinkish cast. The stipe usually is fairly slender and tapered downward.
Distribution: Broad Abundant through moist portions
Habitat: Moist ground
Pacific golden chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus)
Description: The species epithet formosus means “finely formed” or “beautiful” and this certainly is descriptive of many of our golden chanterelles. The fruitbodies are often large for a chanterelle, and have a dull orange to brownish orange cap that readily bruises brownish and often is finely scaly. The fertile ridges often are deep and relatively thin; they are usually pale orange-yellow but may have a pinkish cast. The stipe usually is fairly slender and tapered downward.
Distribution: Broad Abundant through moist portions
Habitat: Moist ground
Rainbow chanterelle (Cantharellus roseocanus)
Description: Cap 3– 12 cm across; more or less plano-convex when young (often with an inrolled margin), becoming flat or shallowly depressed, with a wavy and irregular margin; tacky when wet but soon dry; pale yellow to egg-yolk yellow or orange when fresh, but often fading to very pale yellow or nearly whitish when exposed to sunlight; with a pale to dark pink bloom when young, especially near the margin. False gills well developed; running down the stem; frequently cross-veined; bright, intense orange (usually contrasting markedly with the cap surface). Stalk 2– 5 cm long; up to 2.5 cm thick; variable in shape but often stocky; smooth; colored like the cap before it fades or colored like the false gills. Flesh whitish; unchanging when sliced; solid; odor fragrant and sweet, reminiscent of apricots; taste mild to slightly fruity. Spore print pale orange-yellow.
Distribution: Western Moist, coastal or mountain environments
Habitat: It seems to be associated primarily with spruce, occurring with Sitka spruce and shore pine near the coast and with Engelmann spruce in the mountains.
Scaly chanterelle (Gomphus floccosus)
Description: Not truly wooly, Gomphus floccosus is more accurately characterized by the coarse scales that usually line its deeply vase-shaped cap. However, it is a highly variable fungus and the degree of scaliness is by no means constant. In its common form, the cap when fresh is a deep reddish orange, but fades with age and old pale specimens can be found that might seem to be a different fungus. The fertile surface is whitish to pale yellowish and highly wrinkled and forked, with portions appearing almost like pores in older specimens. The size of the fruitbodies varies from small-medium to fairly large and the shape can be tall and slender or short and squatty with the vase shape being more or less developed.
Distribution: Broad Common in Western and North America
Habitat: Conifer Forests; woodland
Scaly vase chanterelle (Gomphus floccosus)
Description: Not truly wooly, Gomphus floccosus is more accurately characterized by the coarse scales that usually line its deeply vase-shaped cap. However, it is a highly variable fungus and the degree of scaliness is by no means constant. In its common form, the cap when fresh is a deep reddish orange, but fades with age and old pale specimens can be found that might seem to be a different fungus. The fertile surface is whitish to pale yellowish and highly wrinkled and forked, with portions appearing almost like pores in older specimens. The size of the fruitbodies varies from small-medium to fairly large and the shape can be tall and slender or short and squatty with the vase shape being more or less developed.
Distribution: Broad Common in Western and North America
Habitat: Conifer Forests; woodland
Trumpet chanterelle (Craterellus tubaeformis)
Description: Small, slender, trumpet-shaped chanterelle with a brownish or orange-brown cap, hollow stipe, and penchant for growing on mossy rotten wood. It has a long fruiting season although, in most of the PNW, it is not common in winter.
Distribution: Western West Coast
Habitat: Moist forest; woodland
Substrate: Mossy rotten wood
White chanterelle (Cantharellus subalbidus)
Distribution: Western Forests containing Douglas-fir and hemlock
Habitat: Favors old-growth forests; Douglas-fir and hemlock.
Winter chanterelle (Craterellus tubaeformis)
Description: Small, slender, trumpet-shaped chanterelle with a brownish or orange-brown cap, hollow stipe, and penchant for growing on mossy rotten wood. It has a long fruiting season although, in most of the PNW, it is not common in winter.
Distribution: Western West Coast
Habitat: Moist forest; woodland
Substrate: Mossy rotten wood
Wooly chanterelle (Gomphus floccosus)
Description: Not truly wooly, Gomphus floccosus is more accurately characterized by the coarse scales that usually line its deeply vase-shaped cap. However, it is a highly variable fungus and the degree of scaliness is by no means constant. In its common form, the cap when fresh is a deep reddish orange, but fades with age and old pale specimens can be found that might seem to be a different fungus. The fertile surface is whitish to pale yellowish and highly wrinkled and forked, with portions appearing almost like pores in older specimens. The size of the fruitbodies varies from small-medium to fairly large and the shape can be tall and slender or short and squatty with the vase shape being more or less developed.
Distribution: Broad Common in Western and North America
Habitat: Conifer Forests; woodland
Yellow chanterelle (Cantharellus formosus)
Description: The species epithet formosus means “finely formed” or “beautiful” and this certainly is descriptive of many of our golden chanterelles. The fruitbodies are often large for a chanterelle, and have a dull orange to brownish orange cap that readily bruises brownish and often is finely scaly. The fertile ridges often are deep and relatively thin; they are usually pale orange-yellow but may have a pinkish cast. The stipe usually is fairly slender and tapered downward.
Distribution: Broad Abundant through moist portions
Habitat: Moist ground
Charcoal Burner (Russula cyanoxantha)
Description: Has been referred to as \'the Chameleon\' due to its large palette of colors including dull violets, purples, and gray-greens.
Habitat: woodland
Blue cheese polypore (Postia caesia)
Distribution: Northern hemisphere.
Habitat: Forests and woodlands.
Substrate: Wood.
Western chevalier (Tricholoma intermedium)
Chicken-of-the-woods (Laetiporus conifericola)
Habitat: living trees, logs, stumps, snags, and even utility poles.
Golden-gilled Chrysomphalina (Chrysomphalina chrysophylla)
Smoky clavaria (Clavaria fumosa)
Origin: Native
Anise-scented Clitocybe (Clitocybe odora)
Brick-red clitocybe (Clitocybe sinopica)
Distribution: Any time of year, often on bare soil
Cloudy clitocybe (Clitocybe nebularis)
Distribution: A variety of forests, often appearing along woodland trails late in fall
Club-footed clitocybe (Ampulloclitocybe clavipes)
Description: Has a cap that is umbonate at first, but becomes flat and often depressed to funnel-shaped with age. The surface is smooth and variously reddish brown to olive-brown or gray-brown. The fills are white, cream, or pale yellow and strongly decurrent. The stem is buff to gray-brown, smooth, and typically grossly swollen and darker at the base.
Habitat: wiidkabds
Substrate: conifers, occasionally with broadleaf trees
Crowded white Clitocybe (Clitocybe dilatata)
Funnel Clitocybe (Clitocybe gibba)
Large white Clitocybe (Clitocybe maxima)
Lead-white clitocybe (Clitocybe cerussata)
Parasitic clitocybe (Clitocybe sclerotoidea)
Small scaly clitocybe (Clitocybe squamulosa)
Distribution: Broad Widespread, often common, and variable species
Smoky-brown clitocybe (Ampulloclitocybe avellaneoalba)
Description: Has a cap that is flat, becoming depressed or funnel-shaped with age, with a margin that often remains incurved. The surface is smooth to slightly scaly at the center, dark olive-brown to blackish brown. The fills are white to cream and strongly decurrent. The stem is smooth and pale cap-colored.
Habitat: woodlands
Substrate: conifers or broadleaf trees, especially alder
Snowmelt clitocybe (Clitocybe albirhiza)
Description: Cap 2– 4 cm across; broadly convex, some with a slight depression and others with a slight bump in the center; smooth; mostly whitish tan, some with a pale pink tint, with a white frosty covering that wears off on weathering; margin turned down or under, sometimes with a white rim. Gills attached or running slightly down the stalk; narrow, thin; cream, buff with age. Stalk 2– 4 × 0.5– 1 cm, equal or narrower at the top or middle; whitish, cream, with a frosty coating; with copious white rhizomorphs at the base (dig it up!). Flesh a pale watery buff; odor flowery or floury. Spore print white.
Distribution: Western snowbank mushrooms
Habitat: Melting snowbanks
Spores: late May to early July
Sweat-producing Clitocybe (Clitocybe rivulosa)
White-stranded clitocybe (Clitocybe albirhiza)
Description: Cap 2– 4 cm across; broadly convex, some with a slight depression and others with a slight bump in the center; smooth; mostly whitish tan, some with a pale pink tint, with a white frosty covering that wears off on weathering; margin turned down or under, sometimes with a white rim. Gills attached or running slightly down the stalk; narrow, thin; cream, buff with age. Stalk 2– 4 × 0.5– 1 cm, equal or narrower at the top or middle; whitish, cream, with a frosty coating; with copious white rhizomorphs at the base (dig it up!). Flesh a pale watery buff; odor flowery or floury. Spore print white.
Distribution: Western snowbank mushrooms
Habitat: Melting snowbanks
Spores: late May to early July
Wood Clitocybe (Pseudoarmillariella ectypoides)
Black and white clitocybula (Clitocybula atrialba)
Habitat: C. atrialba is a western species that occurs singly on the (sometimes buried) wood of alder and perhaps other hardwoods.
Substrate: Wood or woody debris
Spores: whitish amyloid spores
Handsome club (Clavulinopsis laeticolor)
Distribution: A widespread species, occurring across North America and in Europe and parts of Asia.
Pointed club (Clavaria acuta)
Description: Clavaria acuta is a small pure white terrestrial club that grows as scattered individuals or fused pairs or trios. Often the clubs exhibit a translucent stipe with a whiter upper fertile portion.
Habitat: Clavaria acuta usually occurs on bare soil in somewhat disturbed areas.
Redleg club (Typhula erythropus)
Origin: Native
Water club (Vibrissea truncorum)
Habitat: Can be found on rotting pieces of wood that are very wet or submerged in cold water.
Club-foot (Ampulloclitocybe clavipes)
Description: Has a cap that is umbonate at first, but becomes flat and often depressed to funnel-shaped with age. The surface is smooth and variously reddish brown to olive-brown or gray-brown. The fills are white, cream, or pale yellow and strongly decurrent. The stem is buff to gray-brown, smooth, and typically grossly swollen and darker at the base.
Habitat: wiidkabds
Substrate: conifers, occasionally with broadleaf trees
Queen's coat (Tricholomopsis decora)
Yellow cobweb (Xenasmatella vaga)
Fall coccora (Amanita calyptroderma)
Description: Completely enveloped in a thickish, white, cocoon-like veil when immature. hen expanded, the remains persist as large, irregular pieces on the cap surface, which is smooth and orange-brown to golden-brown or, in the spring-fruiting form, pale yellowish. The fills are white and the stem is white to pale yellowish with a membranous ring and a large, sack-like volva at the base.
Habitat: Woodlands
Substrate: firs, tan oak, and madrone
Aniseed cockleshell (Lentinellus cochleatus)
Appleseed coincap (Collybia tuberosa)
Branched Collybia (Dendrocollybia racemosa)
Buttery Collybia (Rhodocollybia butyracea)
Habitat: Conifer forests
Spores: pale pinkish buff, relatively large (mostly 7-9 x 3.5-4 µm) and tear-shaped, almond-shaped, or ellipsoid
Clustered Collybia (Gymnopus acervatus)
Habitat: Conifer forests
Substrate: Rotting logs and stumps, other woody debris
Common Collybia (Gymnopus dryophilus)
Spores: whitish to pale yellow, smooth, and do not react in Melzer’s reagent
Fragrant Collybia (Rhodocollybia oregonensis)
Oak Collybia (Gymnopus dryophilus)
Spores: whitish to pale yellow, smooth, and do not react in Melzer’s reagent
Spotted Collybia (Rhodocollybia maculata)
Substrate: Clusters on or near rotting conifer wood
Tuberous Collybia (Collybia tuberosa)
Tufted Collybia (Gymnopus confluens)
Distribution: Mixed woods with heavy litter accumulations
Golden jelly cone (Heterotextus alpinus)
Habitat: Wet conifer
Common cone-head (Conocybe tenera)
Conifer conecap (Baeospora myosura)
Description: Small, tan to whitish cap with crowded, white gills and white to brownish stalk; on fallen conifer cones
Substrate: Spruce and Douglas fir cones
Spores: September to October
Artist's conk (Ganoderma applanatum)
Birch conk (Piptoporus betulinus)
False tinder conk (Phellinus igniarius)
Oak conk (Fuscoporia gilva)
Quinine conk (Fomitopsis officinalis)
Red-belt conk (Fomitopsis pinicola)
Habitat: Occurs on conifers and hardwoods.
Red-belted conk (Fomitopsis mounceae)
Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in Washington; Widespread in northern North America and Appalachia in coniferous forests.
Origin: native
Toothed conk (Echinodontium tinctorium)
Varnished conk (Ganoderma lucidum)
Distribution: Europe.
Western varnished conk (Ganoderma oregonense)
Habitat: Occurs on conifers and hardwoods.
Gastroid Coprinus (Montagnea arenaria)
Blah coral (Ramaria acrisiccescens)
Habitat: It occurs throughout the conifer forests of the PNW.
Cauliflower coral (Ramaria botrytis)
Clustered coral (Ramaria botrytis)
Crested coral (Clavulina coralloides)
Description: Clavulina coralloides forms fruitbodies that are repeatedly branched. When young, the branches are dull whitish and crested or feathery at the tips, but with age the branches may become gray-tinted and the tips more rounded. The surface may be smooth or wrinkled, and the white, brittle flesh is normally solid.
Habitat: Woodlands
Fetid false coral (Thelephora palmata)
Distribution: T. palmata is widespread and fairly common in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Habitat: Occurs in conifer litter
Flat-top coral (Clavariadelphus truncatus)
Description: The species of Clavariadelphus can usually be told from the other clubs by their larger size, stockier stature, and characteristic ocher to yellow-orange color. C. truncatus produces rather large fruitbodies with a wide flattened cap, which makes it look something like a chanterelle, especially when the fertile surface, which runs down the upper portion beneath the “cap,” is wrinkled. C. truncatus is edible, with a rather sweet taste.
Distribution: Broad throughout the Northern Hemisphere
Habitat: Occurs with conifers
Flat-topped coral (Clavariadelphus truncatus)
Description: The species of Clavariadelphus can usually be told from the other clubs by their larger size, stockier stature, and characteristic ocher to yellow-orange color. C. truncatus produces rather large fruitbodies with a wide flattened cap, which makes it look something like a chanterelle, especially when the fertile surface, which runs down the upper portion beneath the “cap,” is wrinkled. C. truncatus is edible, with a rather sweet taste.
Distribution: Broad throughout the Northern Hemisphere
Habitat: Occurs with conifers
Golden coral (Ramaria largentii)
Gray coral (Clavulina cinerea)
Description: Clavulina cristata has lilac-grayish coloration, wrinkled branched, and less developed branching.
Green-staining coral (Ramaria abietina)
Distribution: It occurs across the U.S. and Canada and also in Europe and Asia.
Ivory coral (Ramariopsis kunzei)
Largent's coral (Ramaria largentii)
Purple club coral (Alloclavaria purpurea)
Description: Smooth to wrinkled, tubular or slightly flattened, unbranched fruit bodies with pointed tips. They normally grow gregariously in clusters or dense troops. They are typically deep or dull purple, fading to purplish gray or brown.
Purple coral (Alloclavaria purpurea)
Description: Smooth to wrinkled, tubular or slightly flattened, unbranched fruit bodies with pointed tips. They normally grow gregariously in clusters or dense troops. They are typically deep or dull purple, fading to purplish gray or brown.
Rosy club coral (Clavaria rosea)
Description: Clavaria rosea oriduces smooth, tubular or flattened, unbranched fruitbodies that have pointed tips and an indistinct stem. The are bright rose-pink, paler or whitish toward the base. The flesh is hollow and very fragile.
Habitat: grassland or woodlands
Substrate: moss and grass or leaf litter
Strap coral (Clavariadelphus ligula)
Description: Clavariadelphus ligula is indistinguishable from C. sachalinensis in the field, differing primarily by its shorter spores (12–165 × 35–45 vs 18–24 × 4–6 µm) Because intermediates often can be found, it could be that only one species is involved, in which case the name C. ligula would have priority.
Strap-shaped coral (Clavariadelphus ligula)
Description: Clavariadelphus ligula is indistinguishable from C. sachalinensis in the field, differing primarily by its shorter spores (12–165 × 35–45 vs 18–24 × 4–6 µm) Because intermediates often can be found, it could be that only one species is involved, in which case the name C. ligula would have priority.
Truncate club coral (Clavariadelphus truncatus)
Description: The species of Clavariadelphus can usually be told from the other clubs by their larger size, stockier stature, and characteristic ocher to yellow-orange color. C. truncatus produces rather large fruitbodies with a wide flattened cap, which makes it look something like a chanterelle, especially when the fertile surface, which runs down the upper portion beneath the “cap,” is wrinkled. C. truncatus is edible, with a rather sweet taste.
Distribution: Broad throughout the Northern Hemisphere
Habitat: Occurs with conifers
Violet-branched coral (Clavulina amethystina)
White coral (Ramariopsis kunzei)
Wine-tipped coral (Ramaria botrytis)
Wrinkled coral (Clavulina coralloides)
Description: Clavulina coralloides forms fruitbodies that are repeatedly branched. When young, the branches are dull whitish and crested or feathery at the tips, but with age the branches may become gray-tinted and the tips more rounded. The surface may be smooth or wrinkled, and the white, brittle flesh is normally solid.
Habitat: Woodlands
Wrinkled coral (Clavulina rugosa)
Description: C. rugosa has white, wrinkled (rugose) branches and only limited branching, especially at the tips.
Yellow false coral (Calocera viscosa)
Distribution: It is common, but rarely abundant, in western North America, as well as in Europe and Asia.
Habitat: Occurs on rotting conifer wood in the forests
Yellow-tipped coral (Ramaria formosa)
Goldenthread Cordyceps (Elaphocordyceps ophioglossoides)
Headlike Cordyceps (Elaphocordyceps capitata)
Quinine cork (Laricifomes officinalis)
Cinnamon Cort (Cortinarius cinnamomeus)
Pungent Cort (Cortinarius traganus)
Distribution: Broad
Habitat: Abundant in the far-western mountane and boreal regions, but is much less frequent in the Rocky Mountains.
Spotted Cort (Cortinarius iodes)
Violet Cort (Cortinarius violaceus)
Distribution: In some years it is difficult to find but in general it is commonly encountered, but usually in small numbers.
Habitat: Widespread in older forests in PNW region, but much less common in the interior mountains than nearer the coast.
Viscid violet Cort (Cortinarius iodes)
Belted slimy Cortinarius (Cortinarius collinitus)
Blood-red cortinarius (Cortinarius neosanguineus)
Brown cortinarius (Cortinarius laniger)
Distribution: Widespread, but variable in its fruiting, in some years being rather common and in others being absent.
Habitat: C. laniger is characteristic of boreal and montane conifer forests.
Bulbous Cortinarius (Cortinarius glaucopus)
Deadly cortinarius (Cortinarius gentilis)
Distribution: Broad
Habitat: C. gentilis has a broad ecological range, occurring in moist environments as well as drier, upland conifer sites. During the summer in the western mountains it can be very common, often fruiting in groups, sometimes from well rotted woody debris.
Early Cortinarius (Cortinarius trivialis)
Fragrant Cortinarius (Cortinarius percomis)
Lilac conifer Cortinarius (Cortinarius traganus)
Distribution: Broad
Habitat: Abundant in the far-western mountane and boreal regions, but is much less frequent in the Rocky Mountains.
Pale cortinarius (Cortinarius pallidifolius)
Pointed Cortinarius (Cortinarius vanduzerensis)
Distribution: Common
Habitat: Coastal conifer forests from northern California to southern Canada.
Purple-staining cortinarius (Cortinarius mutabilis)
Habitat: Occurs in a variety of habitats with different conifers and is more frequent in moist areas. Most commonly found along the coast, especially with Sitka spruce.
Silvery-violet cortinarius (Cortinarius alboviolaceus)
Slimy cortinarius (Cortinarius mucosus)
Description: Cortinarius mucosus has a white stipe that most frequently occurs with pines.
Habitat: Pines
Sooty olive Cortinarius (Cortinarius infractus)
Violet Cortinarius (Cortinarius violaceus)
Distribution: In some years it is difficult to find but in general it is commonly encountered, but usually in small numbers.
Habitat: Widespread in older forests in PNW region, but much less common in the interior mountains than nearer the coast.
Western red-capped Cortinarius (Cortinarius smithii)
Cramp-balls (Daldinia grandis)
Winter craterelle (Craterellus tubaeformis)
Description: Small, slender, trumpet-shaped chanterelle with a brownish or orange-brown cap, hollow stipe, and penchant for growing on mossy rotten wood. It has a long fruiting season although, in most of the PNW, it is not common in winter.
Distribution: Western West Coast
Habitat: Moist forest; woodland
Substrate: Mossy rotten wood
Jelly crep (Crepidotus mollis)
Little white crep (Crepidotus epibryus)
Flabby Crepidotus (Crepidotus mollis)
Pink crown (Sarcosphaera coronaria)
Distribution: S. coronaria occurs in spring, mostly in the mountains, often near melting snow, and is a harbinger of morel season. It also occurs in Europe and has been called S. crassa (Santi) Pouzar and S. eximia (Durieu & Léveillé) Maire.
Spores: The spores are broadly ellipsoid (13--22 x 7--10 µm) with blunt ends and usually two large oil drops.
Violet crowncup (Sarcosphaera coronaria)
Distribution: S. coronaria occurs in spring, mostly in the mountains, often near melting snow, and is a harbinger of morel season. It also occurs in Europe and has been called S. crassa (Santi) Pouzar and S. eximia (Durieu & Léveillé) Maire.
Spores: The spores are broadly ellipsoid (13--22 x 7--10 µm) with blunt ends and usually two large oil drops.
Bleeding conifer crust (Stereum sanguinolentum)
Bleeding oak crust (Stereum gausapatum)
Brown-toothed crust (Hydnochaete olivacea)
Elbowpatch crust (Fomitiporia punctata)
Glue crust (Hymenochaete corrugata)
Hairy curtain crust (Stereum hirsutum)
Netted crust (Meruliopsis corium)
Habitat: Downed branches of hardwood or brush piles
Pancake crust (Perenniporia medulla-panis)
Rosy crust (Peniophora incarnata)
Toothed crust (Basidioradulum radula)
Wrinkled crust (Phlebia radiata)
Common Cudonia (Cudonia circinans)
Distribution: Widespread in North America, Europe, and Asia.
Mountain-loving Cudonia (Pachycudonia monticola)
Barnyard cup (Peziza vesiculosa)
Spores: smooth, ellipsoid, 18--24 x 9--14 µm
Bay cup (Peziza badia)
Bladder cup (Peziza vesiculosa)
Spores: smooth, ellipsoid, 18--24 x 9--14 µm
Blistered cup (Peziza vesiculosa)
Spores: smooth, ellipsoid, 18--24 x 9--14 µm
Blue-staining cup (Caloscypha fulgens)
Distribution: Although most common in the western mountains, it occurs across North America, as well as in Europe and temperate Asia.
Brown clustered ear cup (Otidea alutacea)
Brown-black cup (Peziza brunneoatra)
Brown-haired white cup (Humaria hemisphaerica)
Burn site ochre cup (Anthracobia melaloma)
Description: fruitbody cup-shaped to concave to flattened, lacking a stalk; upper surface yellowish orange; underside slightly paler, darkly punctate with tufts of appressed brownish hairs.
Substrate: gregarious to massed on burned ground and burned wood
Spores: Spring through early winter
Cellar cup (Peziza domiciliana)
Common dung cup (Peziza vesiculosa)
Spores: smooth, ellipsoid, 18--24 x 9--14 µm
Crustlike cup (Rhizina undulata)
Dazzling cup (Caloscypha fulgens)
Distribution: Although most common in the western mountains, it occurs across North America, as well as in Europe and temperate Asia.
Dwarf acorn cup (Geopyxis carbonaria)
Habitat: Occurs after conifer forest fires
Spores: The spores are smooth, ellipsoid, 11--18 x 6--9 µm, and do not contain prominent oil drops.
Elf cup (Tarzetta cupularis)
Eyelash cup (Scutellinia scutellata)
Eyelash dung cup (Cheilymenia fimicola)
Description: The genus Cheilymenia is characterized by small, stipe-less, flattened saucers bearing conspicuous (under a handlens) eyelash hairs and growing on dung, rich soil, plant debris, or other materials. It appears to be closely related to Aleuria. C. fimicola (= C. coprinaria (Cooke) Boudier) is one of the dung-dwellers, occurring on cow-pies as well as the droppings of wild animals. When fresh the fruitbodies are reddish orange, then they lighten to yellowish orange in age; the hairs are brownish, and all are unbranched.
Distribution: Worldwide
Substrate: dung, manure, or compost
Spores: spring, summer, and fall
Eyelash pixie cup (Scutellinia scutellata)
Fairy's loving cup (Craterellus cornucopioides)
Description: thin-flashed caps that are funnel or trumpet shaped and hollow (deeply incurved margin). Surface has a texture of felt to scrufy-scaly. Coloration is gray-brown to black and continues from the cap to the hollow stem. The stipe is smooth to slightly wrinkled, brown to gray or same as cap, with decurrent wrinkles.
Habitat: In mossy woodland
Substrate: grows upon the ground
False eyelash cup (Melastiza chateri)
Giant gel cup (Urnula padeniana)
Glazed cup (Humaria hemisphaerica)
Gold cup (Phaeolepiota aurea)
Distribution: Widely distributed
Habitat: Usually found in the north temperate zone in disturbed areas of forests, such as along roadsides.
Hairy black cup (Pseudoplectania nigrella)
Hairy fairy cup (Humaria hemisphaerica)
Home cup (Peziza domiciliana)
Jelly cup (Heterotextus alpinus)
Habitat: Wet conifer
Long-stalked gray cup (Helvella macropus)
Minute lemon cup (Bisporella citrina)
Description: Bisporella citrina is perhaps the most noticeable of the inoperculate discomycetes, as it is very common, bright yellow, and fruits in large numbers on hardwood branches that have lost their bark. Although there are other small, yellow, cushion-like discomycetes, none of them are as common or fruit in such abundance.
Substrate: Hardwood branches
Pink burn cup (Rhodotarzetta rosea)
Pyxie cup (Geopyxis carbonaria)
Habitat: Occurs after conifer forest fires
Spores: The spores are smooth, ellipsoid, 11--18 x 6--9 µm, and do not contain prominent oil drops.
Red-brown cup (Peziza badia)
Ribbed-stalked cup (Helvella acetabulum)
Rooting fairy cup (Rhizina undulata)
Rough fairy cup (Plicaria trachycarpa)
Scarlet cup (Sarcoscypha coccinea)
Small dung cup (Peziza vesiculosa)
Spores: smooth, ellipsoid, 18--24 x 9--14 µm
Smooth fairy cup (Plicaria endocarpoides)
Spores: 8--10 µm diameter
Sooty cup (Helvella leucomelaena)
Distribution: H. leucomelaena is found in spring and early summer in conifer forests, especially along paths and roadsides.
Stalked bonfire cup (Geopyxis carbonaria)
Habitat: Occurs after conifer forest fires
Spores: The spores are smooth, ellipsoid, 11--18 x 6--9 µm, and do not contain prominent oil drops.
Stalked hairy fairy cup (Lachnum virgineum)
Thick cup (Gyromitra ancilis)
Vinegar cup (Helvella acetabulum)
Violet cup (Peziza sublilacina)
Violet star cup (Sarcosphaera coronaria)
Distribution: S. coronaria occurs in spring, mostly in the mountains, often near melting snow, and is a harbinger of morel season. It also occurs in Europe and has been called S. crassa (Santi) Pouzar and S. eximia (Durieu & Léveillé) Maire.
Spores: The spores are broadly ellipsoid (13--22 x 7--10 µm) with blunt ends and usually two large oil drops.
Vulcan pixie cup (Geopyxis vulcanalis)
White-footed elfin cup (Helvella leucomelaena)
Distribution: H. leucomelaena is found in spring and early summer in conifer forests, especially along paths and roadsides.
Green cups (Chlorociboria aeruginascens)
Distribution: Broad Across North America, Europe, and Asia
Spores: spores (5--8 x 1--2 µm)
Splash cups (Cyathus striatus)
Habitat: It can be common in gardens where woody materials have been added to the planting beds.
Substrate: Cyathus striatus occurs in a number of different habitats on decaying plant materials such as wood chips, small branches, and needles.
Yellow fairy cups (Bisporella citrina)
Description: Bisporella citrina is perhaps the most noticeable of the inoperculate discomycetes, as it is very common, bright yellow, and fruits in large numbers on hardwood branches that have lost their bark. Although there are other small, yellow, cushion-like discomycetes, none of them are as common or fruit in such abundance.
Substrate: Hardwood branches
Oak curtain-crust (Hymenochaete rubiginosa)
Cyans (Psilocybe cyanescens)
Description: Tacky, wavy, brown cap, fading to yellowish, with brownish gills and whitish stalk; bruising blue.
Habitat: Several to many, in coniferous mulch
Spores: September-November
Conifer Cystoderma (Cystoderma fallax)
Distribution: Only in North America
Habitat: It occurs in a variety of habitats, including conifer, mixed, and hardwood forests on litter, humus, rotting wood, and in mosses.
Pure Cystoderma (Cystoderma amianthinum)
Unspotted Cystoderma (Cystoderma amianthinum)
Vermilion Cystoderma (Cystodermella cinnabarina)