A dark brown, ringed agaric that grows in tufts on leaf litter and moist soil in woods. It is distinctive for mostly 2-spored basidia and adnate to slightly decurrent gills. DNA studies moved it from Agrocybe to the revived genus Cyclocybe, alongside the cultivated poplar mushroom.
Inedible; not recommended. It is easily confused with poisonous brown mushrooms such as Hebeloma mesophaeum, a gastrointestinal irritant. Hebeloma usually has a cortina rather than a membranous ring, a radish-like odor, and spores without a snout. Avoid it when foraging.
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Habitat
Saprobic, in tufts or small groups, rarely singly, on litter and moist soil in hardwood and conifer forests, along hedgerows and under parkland trees; occasionally on well-rotted wood-chip mulch.
Distribution
Europe, including Britain and Ireland, where it is uncommon; North America; and parts of Oceania. Wikipedia gives a North American season of August to October, and September to December on the West Coast.
Characteristics
Cap: 1.5-7 cm, rounded to hemispherical, then broadly convex or umbonate; mid to dark brown, slightly paler toward the often wrinkled margin; slimy or greasy when wet. Gills: adnate to slightly decurrent, whitish to pale brown when young, dark brown at maturity. Stem: 2.5-10 cm long, 3-12 mm thick, whitish streaked with brown, darker toward the base; persistent, pendulous whitish to pale brown ring. Flesh: whitish to brown, no staining. Odor and taste: not distinctive. Spore print: dark brown. Spores: about 9.5-15 x 5-7 µm, ellipsoid, smooth, often with a short snout-like end; basidia mostly 2-spored (First Nature; Wikipedia).
