Taxonomy
- Kingdom: Fungi
- Phylum: Basidiomycota
- Class: Agaricomycetes
- Order: Agaricales
- Family: Agaricaceae
- Genus: Lepiota
- Species: Lepiota clypeolaria (Batsch) P.Kumm.
Synonyms
- Lepiota clypeolaria var. clypeolaria
- Lepiota clypeolaria f. clypeolaria
Description
- Cap: 1.5–4 cm in diameter; initially convex, becoming plano‑convex with age. Surface is brown to ochre‑brown, often fibrillose or finely squamulose, with a slightly darker, often raised central area (umbonate). The margin may be slightly striate when moist.
- Gills: Free to slightly attached; white to cream, crowded, thin.
- Stem (stipe): Slender, 3–7 cm long, 2–4 mm thick, cylindrical, usually hollow. Surface is white to pale brown, bearing a fragile, membranous, movable ring (annulus) that may be transient.
- Spore print: White to cream.
- Spores: Ellipsoid, smooth, hyaline, measuring approximately 5–6 × 3–4 µm; non‑amyloid.
- Taste/Odor: Generally reported as indistinct or slightly farinaceous; not considered a reliable identification characteristic.
Ecology and Distribution
Lepiota clypeolaria is a saprotrophic species that decomposes leaf litter and humus in woodlands. It is commonly found in temperate regions of Europe and North America, especially in mixed deciduous and coniferous forests. Fruiting bodies appear from late summer to autumn, often growing solitary or in small groups on the forest floor.
Edibility and Toxicity
The edibility of Lepiota clypeolaria is uncertain. Members of the genus Lepiota are known to contain gastrointestinal toxins, and several closely related species have caused poisoning. Consequently, L. clypeolaria is generally regarded as inedible and is not recommended for consumption.
Similar Species
- Lepiota cristata – typically has a more pronounced scaly cap and a persistent, non‑movable ring.
- Lepiota magnispora – larger spores and a darker cap.
- Agaricus spp. – have a chocolate‑brown spore print and lack a movable ring.
Conservation Status
No global conservation assessment has been published for Lepiota clypeolaria. It is considered relatively common within its range and does not appear on major threatened‑species lists.
References
- Index Fungorum. "Lepiota clypeolaria (Batsch) P.Kumm." Accessed 2024.
- MycoBank. "Species Detail: Lepiota clypeolaria." Accessed 2024.
- Arora, David. Mushrooms Demystified, 2nd ed., 1986.
- Miller, Orson K., and Hope H. Miller. North American Mushrooms: A Field Guide to Edible and Inedible Fungi, 2006.