species fungus family common abundant species coastal oak woodlands california grows feeding fallen leaves oak species described berkeley curtis species collected years earlier exploring surveying expedition subsequently considered doubtful species later researchers publication taxon considered synonym making appearance late autumn early winter small fragile fruit bodies characterized reddish brown tones cap stem edges gills cut mushroom tissue bleed deep reddish latex typical genus caps conical bell shaped convex eventually old measure diameter attached thin hollow stems long history taxonomy species originally collected science purposes american botanist single collection found growing fallen oak leaves mare island naval shipyard california january specimen sent american mycologist british colleague published brief description species calling subgenus berkeley curtis noted differed known today nature gills called graceful species raised subgenus generic status species known monograph north american included excluded doubtful species saying species recognized microscopic characters type known researching monograph examined material particular specimen designated berkeley curtis represent type species deteriorated condition unable distinguishing features proposed berkeley curtis agreed smith assessment species late 1990s studies california noted common species california usually referred presented characteristics particular previously reported contain latex compared material material collected time place specimens type found represent species publishing results article resurrected confusion noted apparently smith concept agreeing species type noticed earlier published priority later according rules botanical nomenclature description cap initially bell shaped maturity typically reaches dimensions cap margins edges curved young age rounded develop radial grooves split surface cap dull smooth color ranges reddish brown brownish orange young specimens color fading mushroom matures center cap usually darker margins flesh thin color cap stain dark red color bruised gills attachment stem broadly attached slightly gill gill fused stem closely spaced gills extend distance edge cap stem short gills called form groups roughly equal length gills white pinkish buff color gill edges ranging reddish orange reddish brown brownish orange hollow stem long thick roughly thickness stem appearing covered fine whitish powder surface smooth stem base covered hairs large coarse like soft stem shade brown mushroom tissue bleed brownish range reddish brown latex cut edibility unknown microscopic characteristics deposit spore print spores appear white details revealed light microscope spores ellipsoid shaped smooth thin walled measure basidia spore bearing cells club shaped spored typically dimensions cheilocystidia cystidia gill edges measure cells irregular projections range size variously shaped like cylindrical cells contain brownish contents stain melzer reagent common chemical reagent mushroom identification exception hyphae stem arranged hyphae making stem surface hyphae contain clamp connections similar species distinguished closely related smaller size edge gills differently shaped longer spores commonly confused species reddish latex distinguished tapering end cheilocystidia additional difference associated wood debris habitat distribution fruit bodies grow clusters scattered leaves oak trees black oak common coastal oak woodlands california appears late autumn early winter
Mycena californiensis