Marasmius oreades, the fairy ring mushroom, is a small saprotrophic agaric that grows in troops, arcs or rings in lawns and meadows. It has a tan, bell-shaped to convex cap, well-spaced gills and a tough stem, and it can revive after drying out.
Edible and well regarded; the caps dry well and the tough stems are usually discarded. Dangerous look-alikes grow in the same lawns: toxic Clitocybe dealbata and C. rivulosa have closely spaced, decurrent gills, and C. rivulosa lacks an umbo. Several small Collybia, Marasmiellus and similar species need microscopic checks.
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Habitat
Grassy areas such as lawns and meadows, sometimes coastal dunes; grows in troops, arcs or rings that make the grass greener. Summer and autumn (May-November in the UK); year-round in warmer climates.
Distribution
Widespread in North America, especially the east, and in Europe.
Characteristics
Cap: 1-5 cm, bell-shaped becoming broadly convex with a slight central bump; dry, smooth, pale tan to buff, changing colour markedly as it dries. Gills: attached or free, fairly thick, widely spaced, white to pale tan. Stem: 2-6 cm long, 2-6 mm thick, pallid, tough. Odour: often described as cyanide-like. Spore print: white. Spores: 7-10 x 4-6 µm, smooth, elliptical, inamyloid.
