Pholiota & Allies (Kuehneromyces/Pachylepyrium)

  Apical germ pore -- several brown Genera feature spores with an apical germ pore. In the case of Kuehneromyces (pictures here) and Psathyrella the apical pore is so pronounced that the spores appear truncated. In most Pholiotas it is not so easy to see and requires max resolution/magnification to detect it.

    Kuehneromyces mutabilis (=Pholiota mutabilis) (Bulgaria)    Ch-cystidia:

    Kuehneromyces vernalis (=Pholiota vernalis) (Sierra Nevada, Spring)
Spores:

    Pachylepyrium carbonicola (=Pholiota subangularis) (Sierra Nevada, Spring) On burned places.

    Pholiota aurivella (Sierra Nevada, Fall) Abundant in the early Fall, but haven't seen it later in the season.

    Pholiota flammans (Sierra Nevada, Fall)

    Pholiota highlandensis (Coastal forests and Sierra Nevada, Spring)   On burned places.
Spores:     Ch-cystidia:

*Photo by Debbie Viess

*Photo by Debbie Viess

Pholiota spumosa (Sierra Nevada, Spring) Bears strong resemblance to Gymnopilus, but all other characteristics speak of Pholiota...

Spores:7-9 x 4.3-5.2μ     Cystidia:       

        Pholiota terestris

    Pholiota  velaglutinosa  (California)
Cheilocystidia: