Not being able to identify this mushroom is driving me insane!

[alatos]

Hello all,

I'm new here, and very new to mushroom hunting. I've been able to identify quite a few mushrooms already with help from Barron's book and the internet. However, I cannot seem to id one of the most common mushrooms I see when I go out. My best guess is the deadly galerina, but I don't think that's what they are.

I found them in southeastern Pennsylvania, in a hardwood forest near a stream. The cap seems to flatten as they get bigger.

Any help would be so much appreciated!

[Dave W]

I believe it's a species from the genus Gymnopus (formerly classified within genus Collybia). One of the most common mushrooms in the forest, beginning in spring and continuing into the fall, is Gymnopus dryophilus. This type mushroom is similar to the ones seen here... crowded white/whitish gills with notched attachment to the stalk (and seceding in age), bald somewhat lubricious tan-to-brown cap surface. The ones seen here are on the light side for G. dryophilus. I'd suggest the springtime species G. subsulphureus, except the gills are yellow for this species. Another similar spring Gymnopus is G. earleae. These types all have white spore print.

Rhodocollybia butyracea is similar but more robust. I usually don't see this species until autumn. Spore print beige.

[alatos]

Thank you sir! The gills seem to look a little whiter in the photos than in real life, so I think you are right: they are probably G. subsulphureus. You've put my mind at ease.

[Dave W]

Yellow is the color least likely to be accurately captured on a digital photo. G. subsulphureus would be my first guess here. But these "dryophilus types" are difficult to pin down.

[alatos]

Thanks again.