15 October 2007 Dancers End, Buckinghamshire. Photograph copyright Leif Goodwin. Cap Conical when young, expanding with age, finely scaly, violet blue, becoming violaceous brown with age, about 5 to 40 mm across Gills Adnate to adnexed, violaceous blue then violaceous pink Stem Cylindrical, often slightly bulbous at the base, violaceous, fibrous, longitudinally lined Smell Perfumed, like violets Taste Soapy, unpleasant Season Summer to autumn Distribution Infrequent Habitat On living and dead wood of deciduous trees, favouring alder and hazel, rarely on wood from coniferous trees Spore Print Ochre reddish Microscopic Features Spores angular, 5 to 7 sides (9-11.5) x (6-8) µm2. Basidia 4 spored, clamped. Edibility Unknown |