I've seen these 2 years in a row now on a fallen log growing in NE Missouri. I've yet to have collected a specimin (i know...bad me) so not sure on it's spore print. The 'yellow dusting' around them was a slime mould not spore blown around them. Each year these have been there along with several kinds of mycena, tree ear, artist conks and gallerina. A very nice log to look at. They're as big around as a golf ball...very firm...dry.....with just a bit of white mycena seen growing around the base of the stems. The gills appear to be of a cream/orange tone. These are photographed/seen at the beginning of spring so hopefully here in a couple weeks I'll be seeing them again.
The helmet like cap shape and location suggest putting Galerina on your list of possibilities: Does it have dark spores? -frog
It looked like there was a light spore deposit....not the rusty dark brown? I didn't get one the 2 times I saw them but this year definately witll. I've seen lots of gallerina in this area....including on this log.......but this grouping has a very consistant time of appearance. When these are making an appearance I don't see them ANYWHERE else....including known gallerina 'haunts' lol......these are very dry to the touch........big around as golf balls or even larger. The thickness of the cap also isn't consisitant with the gallerinas that I'm familiar with seeing?
I may misunderstand what you mean? These caps from the beginning to the end of the life cycles maintained a dusky reddish-orange....very thick in texture. Even when I photographed up under the cap looing UP.....hardly any light was visible. Something with the gallerinas I'm familiar with is that they're very thin skinned.......and THOSE are definately hygrophanous with age/dry/wet extremes.
Why not a species of Tubaria? Cheers, Harri Harmaja http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/users/harmaja/index.htm
Hello Harri... thanx for an idea but all the Tubaria sp. that I found had caps that 'flatten' out? These stayed in their very ball-shaped design. Also, very smooth without any textures really showing on them? (the answear is hiding here...but we'll find it!) :o)
