Mycena leptocephala    (Pers.:Fr.) Gillet 

common name(s) : Nitrous Bonnet, Thin-capped Mycena 

New classification: Basidiomycota/Agaricomycotina/Agaricomycetes/Agaricomycetidae/Agaricales/Mycenaceae  
Former classification: Basidiomycota/Homobasidiomycetes/Agaricomycetideae/Tricholomatales/Marasmiaceae/Collybieae  

synonyms: Mycena alcalina-chlorinella, Mycena chlorinella, Mycena metata ss.Kühn. 

edibility : inedible

potential confusions with  Mycena leptocephala toxicity of Mycena leptocephala genus Mycena  

The cap is smoke-grey to ochre-brown, bell-shaped; its margin is striate to furrowed depending on dampness. The cap surface is smooth, not viscid nor sticky.

The stem is brown grey, same colour as cap, without ring.

The flesh is greyish, unchanging; its taste is mild; the odour is alkaline, of bleach or nitrous, or poppy petals; its texture is fibrous.

The gills are white to grey, adnate-ascending, distant (nb of gills per 90° ~ 9 ). The spore print is white. This species is saprophytic. It grows on the ground, coming in scarce tufts, on litter of conifers, needles, short grass or lawns.

The fruiting period takes place from June to November.
Dimensions: width of cap approximately 1.5 cm (between 1 and 2.3 cm)
  height of stem approximately 6 cm (between 2.5 and 10 cm)
  thickness of stem (at largest section) approximately 2 mm (between 1 and 3 mm)

Distinctive features : Smokey grey pruinose cap, with striate margin when wet; nitrous, strong odour of ammonia, ozone or chlorine; thin stem with same colour as cap; in troops but not tufts, on the ground; under conifers

Mycena leptocephala is quite rare and localised in the forest of Rambouillet, and is frequent, more generally speaking .
here should be the distribution map of Mycena leptocephala in the forest of Rambouillet
Above : distribution map of Mycena leptocephala in the forest of Rambouillet



page updated on 14/01/18