1 February 2015 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. Common Name Velvet Shank Cap Convex, then flattened, smooth, +/- slimy, orange yellow, orange or orange brown, to about 10 cm across Gills Adnexed, broad, whitish to pale yellow Stem Tapered, tough, usually orange at the apex and dark brown and velvety elsewhere, but sometimes almost entirely orange Flesh Film, pale yellow Smell Pleasant Taste Pleasant Season Autumn to winter Distribution Common Habitat On living and dead deciduous wood, favouring elm Spore Print White Microscopic Features Spores ellipsoidal, smooth (7.5-10) x (3.5-4) µm2 Edibility Edible and good, though the stem is best discarded. Take care not to confuse with deadly poisonous Galerina species. The fungus is cultivated in the Far East where it is variously known as Enokitake, Eno-Take or Enoki. Notes The fungus can be distinguished from similar species such as Pholiota hydropila and Galerina marginata by the white spore print and the absence of a ring on the stem. 
1 February 2015 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
Spores viewed with a x100 immersion objective and x2.5 projecton lens. 1 February 2015 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
1 January 2009 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
11 January 2009 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
December 2002 Berkshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
18 January 2009 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. 
18 January 2009 Hampshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. |