commonly known milk drop species fungus family order produces small mushrooms grayish brown bell shaped caps wide gills whitish gray widely spaced attached stem slender stems long pale gray black base stem whitish latex injured broken variety dark gray cap variety white varieties mushroom occur summer autumn leaf litter coniferous deciduous woodland found north_america europe saprobic fungus important leaf litter able utilize major constituents plant litter especially adept attacking second abundant organic compound mushroom latex contains chemicals called thought play role wound activated chemical defense mechanism parasitic fungi taxonomy mushroom described later transferred genus australian taxon considered variety var raised species level renamed variety described based specimens found denmark variety named variant spelling specific epithet derived greek milk foot mushroom commonly known milk drop varieties white black respectively description cap egg shaped young later somewhat bell shaped eventually reaching diameter age margin curved inward prominent cap surface remnants universal veil covered immature fruit body soon leaving naked smooth cap margin initially pressed stem translucent moist outline gills underneath cap seen deep narrow grooves dry color largely black whitish margin fades pale gray remains dark gray pale gray moist gray drying flesh thin soft fragile distinctive odor taste gills spaced narrow ascending whitish gray usually darker age edges grayish stem rarely long thick equal length smooth fragile lower portion stem dark brown dark color apex stem whitish base covered coarse stiff hairs broken white milk like liquid variety similar appearance main variety fruit body completely white variety dark gray cap gills initially whitish turning gray poisonous varieties microscopic characteristics spores smooth ellipsoid occasionally somewhat pear shaped weakly basidia spored pleurocystidia cheilocystidia similar abundant measure narrowly usually abruptly pointed tips branched near apex hyaline smooth flesh gill dark brown flesh cap thin clearly differentiated developed tissue layer immediately underneath remainder stain brown similar species red edge grayish brown gill edges red latex broken shaped roughly spherical spores measure ecology habitat distribution saprobic fungus plays important role forest ecosystems leaf litter estimated account large portion autumn leaf litter british woodlands able break components leaf litter grown culture laboratory fungus shown addition protein particularly adept breaking second abundant organic compound research suggests fungus soil minerals making available mycorrhizal plants important influencing plant growth typically occurs primary minerals like organic complexes low results low availability soil biological activity increase availability nutrients result soil release agents low molecular mass organic studies shown fungus sensitive low concentrations dioxide pollution suggesting pollution toxic growth fungus subsequent leaf litter environmentally relevant concentrations fruit bodies grow groups scattered conifers united_states abundant pacific_coast washington california tennessee north_carolina northern distribution extends canada nova scotia europe collected britain germany norway chemistry colleagues reported presence structurally related compounds called latex compounds derivative potent isolated submerged cultures species activity based selective electron transport chain publication reported acid serve wound activated chemical defense fruit body injured latex exposed splits acid alcohol chemical reaction water called presumably inactive active forms help defend mushroom parasitic fungi nature mushroom rarely attacked parasitic fungi prone infection mold english field study fungi fruit bodies site spruce preferred selective grazing influences vertical distribution fungi field
Mycena galopus