Key to Gilled Mushrooms KeyThis is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills. The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.
Agaricales OrderFruiting body containing fibers (usually in the stalk)
Brown, Olive, Orange or Tan Spored SuborderGills not free
Spore print tan, orange, deep ochre, yellowish olive, olive brown, rusty or cinnamon brown or deep brown
Ring usually either absent or not membranous
Terrestrial Brown Spored FamilyGrowing on the ground
Inocybe GenusCap with prominent radial fibers, often splitting radially
All parts of the mushroom often scaly, scurfy, or tufted with minute hairs (barely visible on the stem in this image)
Cap usually less than 2" across
Dark Brown Scurfy Inocybe Section
Diagnosis
- Cap and stem covered with chunky scales and tufts of hyphae; typically dark brown
Comments
Inocybe hystrix is mentioned in several of my books as a member of this section, but I have yet to see a helpful description/diagnosis of it
Narrow down your identification:
Inocybe calamistrataCap up to 1 5/8" across; brownish, with white umbo
Lower part of the stem is or bruises greyish turquoise, sometimes appearing black where this color overlays brown coloration
Odor spermatic
Inocybe calosporaCap up to 1" across; umbonate
Stalk with a small whitish basal bulb
With deciduous trees
Inocybe tahquamenonensisCap up to 1 1/4" across; dark purplish brown, blackish brown, or purplish black; broadly convex at first, becoming umbonate
Usually with hardwoods
