Identification: Interesting Brown Mushroom

This one appears to be very unique, but has me stumped. Photo sent to me by a friend, so I don't have spore print, or even know if it has gills or pores. However, I'm hoping someone is familiar with its basic morphology and can tell me what it is.
Many thanks. ChuckB
Editorial Change: Just received another photo and it does have gills.... See photo...

 

Looks like a Lepiota. which one - i do not know.

 

Many thanks. It definitely has me puzzled. Hope to get a spore print if it occurs again.

 

was it growing on woodchips?

 

It was growing in a garden that had been mulched with wood chips from a Bradford pear. Hope that helps.

 

Interesting! I think it is an old Lepiota americana. the swollen base of the stalk and habitat are keys here. This won't look like many pictures you pull up, but imagine an old one of these --> http://biology.clc.uc.edu/Fankhauser/mushrooms/Lepiota_americana_P9141918.jpg

 

Many thanks. I think you've got it. It sure had me fooled, and I'm a retired mycologist; albeit, specializing in aquatic fungi.

 

Thanks again, but my brother's wife doesn't think the id is correct. Here's what she had to say:
Chuck:

This mushroom was part of a group of mushrooms that were small and large in size. It was freshly picked, about 30 minutes before the photo was taken, out of moist ground and growing just below a hugh bush of basil that was growing in my garden. I plant the basil on top of a mounded row covered by black plastic to prevent weeds. I wish I had taken a photo of them in the garden but did not realize it was so unique. It was definitely not very old and still moist but slightly leathery.

When I prepare my garden I amend the soil with mulch and this time it came from a 2 year old bed of bradford pear limbs that were chipped and piled on the foothills parkway so they they would start to rot and be a good nutrient for the garden.

There were lepotia under the other basil bush I planted about 8' away growing at the same time and they looked totally different and like the ones in the Audubon book. I feel we still do not have an id on this fellow but who am I to say?

 

i'd like you to post the picture on Mushroomobserver.org, where you'll have to set up an acct. someone might have a better guess. Seperately, next time they fruit, we need a spore print plus a check to see if the cap or step change color when cut.

 

Thanks again for your help. I'll give it a try.