Alder Scalycap

Appearance

Cap: 3-6 cm; convex, becoming broadly convex or nearly flat; slimy to sticky when fresh; yellow, becoming dark yellow and/or developing rusty or olive green shades; fairly smooth, but sometimes with fibers or tiny scales near the margin.

Gills: Attached to the stem; close; whitish or pale yellow at first, later becoming dirty brownish yellow or rusty brown; at first covered by a quickly disappearing, whitish to yellowish partial veil.

Stem: 4-8 cm long; up to 1 cm thick; pale yellow at the apex and overall when young, becoming brownish from the base up; with, at most, a ring zone resulting from the partial veil; often covered with fibers, but not truly scaly.

Flesh: Pale yellow.

Naming

Synonyms of Pholiota alnicola are many and various; they include Pholiota flavida, Agaricus alnicola Fr., Agaricus apicreus Fr., Flammula alnicola (Fr.) P. Kumm., Flammula apicrea (Fr.) Gillet, Dryophila alnicola (Fr.) Quél., Pholiota alnicola (Fr.) Singer, Pholiota aromatica P. D. Orton, and Pholiota apicrea (Fr.) M.M. Moser.

Distribution

Rare in Britain, but more common in northern and central mainland Europe, as well as in Asia, and parts of North America.

Habitat

Occurs on dead or dying alder trees.