Psathyrella gracilis gr. (Fr.) Quél. (1872)

The cluster of species around Psathyrella gracilis forms a well supported molecularly clade, packed tightly with several species that intergrade quite well. Various identification schemes have been proposed, based on micro- and macromorphological features, but most are contradictory and none seems quite convincing. Such factors as the amount of partial veil remnants on the cap, rooting stem, reddish discoloration of the gills, size, density of the cheilocystidia, etc have been factored. Since there is a great deal of confusion in the literature while new and defining morphological breakthroughs are lacking, I'm forced to treat them as a complex. Some of the closely allied varieties and forms are: corrugis, squamifera, pseudogracilis and microrrhiza. Molecular  analysis has shown also the this complex has a very wide geographical range spanning the Northern Hemisphere.

Cheilocystidia, abundant, forming a sterile band on the gill edge.

Pleurocystidia -- rare, but very large, up to 80µ Spores: 11-13.3x6-7µ