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Mycena vulgaris is a small-sized saprophyte fungus that is considered inedible. They belong to the Mitsenov family, the Mycena genus, which unites about 200 species, 60 of which are found on the territory of Our Country.
What do common mycenae look like?
In a young mushroom, the cap is convex, in a mature one it is wide-conical or prostrate. The diameter does not exceed 1-2 cm. The middle is most often depressed, sometimes with a tubercle in the center, the edge is furrowed, on the surface of the strip. The hat is transparent, gray-brown, light gray-brown, gray-yellow, gray-brown, with a brown eye, darker in the center, lighter along the edge.
The leg is even, hollow, cylindrical, rigid. The surface is mucous, sticky, shiny, smooth, with whitish, rough, long hairs at the base. The height of the leg is from 2 to 6 cm, the thickness is from 1 to 1,5 mm. Color grayish, grayish brown, dark brown below.
The plates are rather rare, arched, with a mucous edge, flexible, descending on the leg. Color white, pale gray, light gray-brown.
Elliptical spores, amyloid. Size – 6-9 x 3,5-5 microns. Basidia are four-spored. The powder is white.
The flesh is whitish, flexible and thin. It practically has no taste, the smell is rancid flour or rare, not pronounced.
In Our Country, you can find other mycenae, similar in appearance to the common one, but having their own characteristic features.
Similar instances
Mycena dewy. Differs in smaller sizes. The cap diameter is 0,5 to 1 cm. In a young mushroom, it is bell-shaped or hemispherical, with growth it becomes convex, wrinkled-pitted with uneven edges, then prostrate, ribbed or wrinkled, with a carved edge. When dried, a bran-like coating forms on the surface. The color is whitish or cream, darker in the middle – grayish, beige, pale ocher. The plates are white, thin, rare, descending, with the presence of intermediate ones. The basidia are two-spore, the spores are larger – 8-12 x 4-5 microns. The pulp is white, thin. Leg with a mucous membrane, smooth, with a characteristic distinguishing feature – drops of liquid. Height – from 3 to 3,5 cm, thickness about 2 mm. The color is whitish above, beige or fawn below. It grows in small groups or clusters in coniferous and mixed forests on rotten wood, fallen leaves and needles. Not common, fruiting from June to autumn. There is no information about edibility.
Mycena is slimy (sticky, slippery or lemon yellow). The main differences are adherent plates, a yellowish and thinner stem. Spores are smooth, colorless, ellipsoid, larger than those of a relative, their size is on average 10×5 microns. The hat is grayish-smoky, diameter – from 1 to 1,8 cm. The shape of young specimens is hemispherical or convex, the edge is whitish-yellow or gray, with an adhesive layer. The plates are thin, whitish, rather sparsely located.
The leg is lemon-yellow, covered with a layer of mucus, slightly pubescent in the lower part. Its height is 5-8 cm, diameter is 0,6-2 mm. It got its name because of the unpleasant slippery surface of the fruiting body.
The mushroom appears at the end of summer and bears fruit throughout the autumn. Settles in mixed, deciduous and coniferous forests, grows on surfaces overgrown with moss, fallen needles and leaves, last year’s grass. Not considered edible, but not poisonous. It is not eaten due to its small size.
Where do common mycenae grow?
Mycena ordinary settles in coniferous and mixed forests. Refers to saprophytes, grows in groups on a litter of fallen needles, does not grow together with fruiting bodies.
Distributed in Europe, including Our Country, found in North America and Asian countries.
Fruiting from late summer to mid-autumn.
Is it possible to eat ordinary mycenae
Refers to inedible species. Is not poisonous. It has no nutritional value due to its small size and difficulties with heat treatment. It is not customary to collect it, many mushroom pickers consider it toadstool.
Conclusion
Mycena vulgaris is a rare inedible mushroom. In some European countries, such as the Netherlands, Denmark, Latvia, France, Norway, it is marked as endangered. Not included in the Red Book of Our Country.