Milk-Drop Mycena
(Milk Stalk, Milk-drop Bonnet Cap, or Helmet Cap)
Mycena galopus var. nigra
Mycena galopus var. galopus
Mycena galopus var. candida
Three varieties are known of this species. All three are treated below.
- Mycena galopus var. galopus
Description
Cap conical to bell-shaped, Ø 1-2 cm, finely striped when damp, grey-brown with dark centre and whitish zone at the margin.
Gills adnate, white to grey.
Stem 5-10 cm x 2-3 mm, grey-brown, light at the apex and white-woolly at the base, exuding a white milk when damaged. Flesh white. Smell faint.
Occurrence
Common on leaf litter and decaying wood in woods, heaths and poor grasslands (see 522.jpg, Hygrocybe miniata var. miniata)
Saprophyte.
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- Mycena galopus var. candida
Description
Cap conical to bell-shaped expanded, Ø 1-2 cm, finely striped when damp, white.
Gills adnate, white.
Stem 5-8 cm x 2-3 mm, exuding a white milk when damaged. Flesh white. Smell faint.
Occurrence
Not uncommon on leaf litter and decaying wood in deciduous and coniferous woods.
Saprophyte.
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- Mycena galopus var. nigra
Description
Cap bell-shaped, Ø 1-2 cm, grooved-striped, matt, brown-black to carbon black.
Gills adnate, grey.
Stem 5-10 cm x 2-3 mm, brown-black, exuding a white milk when damaged, with white-downy base. Flesh grey. Smell faint.
Occurrence
Common on leaf litter and decaying wood in woods, heaths and poor grasslands. Summer to autumn.
Saprophyte.