Appearance
"Leucocoprinus cretaceus" is a small dapperling mushroom with white flesh and a distinctively warty cap.Cap: 2–8 cm. Bulbous when immature becoming convex or flat as it grows and ages. It is stark white and covered in warts. Stem: 3–8 cm in height. 5-10mm thick. Tapers upwards from a swollen base which may exhibit similar warty scales. Fragile stem ring. Gills: White, free and crowded. Spore print: White to creamy white. Spores: Subamygdaliform or Ellipsoid. Smooth with a small pore. Dextrinoid. 6-12 x 4-7 μm. Smell: Indistinct.
Naming
The specific epithet "cretaceus" means chalky and comes from the Latin "creta" for chalk.Distribution
"Leucocoprinus cretaceus" is documented growing in plant pots and greenhouses and so may have a worldwide distribution in captivity with introduction into the wild being possible where temperatures are suitable for these tropical species. In a 1907 study the American mycologist Andrew Price Morgan documented "Lepiota cretacea" growing in 'rich soil in gardens' and in hot beds throughout North America.It is widespread in tropical areas, and has a scattered distribution in South America. Five species of Leucocoprinus collected recently in Northern Argentina and Paraguay were identified. Four of them were reported for the first time in Paraguay and later, three were reported in northeastern Argentina.
Habitat
"Leucocoprinus cretaceus" is documented growing in plant pots and greenhouses and so may have a worldwide distribution in captivity with introduction into the wild being possible where temperatures are suitable for these tropical species. In a 1907 study the American mycologist Andrew Price Morgan documented "Lepiota cretacea" growing in 'rich soil in gardens' and in hot beds throughout North America.It is widespread in tropical areas, and has a scattered distribution in South America. Five species of Leucocoprinus collected recently in Northern Argentina and Paraguay were identified. Four of them were reported for the first time in Paraguay and later, three were reported in northeastern Argentina.
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