Pleated Pluteus

Appearance

Cap: 1-2 cm; convex at first, but becoming broadly convex or nearly flat; fragile; developing cracks and fissures that extend from the margin almost to the center; brownish gray

Gills: Free and close with short-gills frequent; whitish at first, but becoming pinkish with maturity

Stem: 3-5 cm long and 1-2 mm thick; bald or with fibrils; whitish

Spore Print: Pink

Distribution

Widely distributed in the United States from the Great Plains eastward, and occasionally reported in western North America.

Behavior

It's a very fragile mushroom and, in hot weather, its gills sometimes begin to dissolve, which can happen before the gills turn pink. This can cause misidentification.

Habitat

Saprobic on decaying hardwood logs and debris. It grows alone or gregariously during summer and fall.