Mycena cystidiosa (Mycena cystidiosa)

The fruitbody is a mushroom with a cap atop a central stem. The cap may reach 3 centimetres in diameter. It is smooth, conical, greyish brown, translucent and striate. The gills are white. The brown stem may grow to 20 centimetres long and 3 millimetres in diameter. Near the base the stem bars numerous short, white hairs and usually these form a dense cover.

The mushrooms grow on twig and leaf litter and numerous long, twisted, white ‘threads’ are often found growing in the litter near the mushrooms. These ‘threads’ are sterile stems, sometimes with undeveloped caps at their apices.   

This species occurs in a variety of forest habitats.

The first published description of this species (originally as Fayodia cystidiosa) appeared in 1964, based on material collected in New Zealand. It is widespread in New Zealand and eastern Australia and has been reported from a few sites in WA.

Look-alikes

There are other small, grey-brown Mycenas but when the white ‘threads’ are present this species is distinctive.