Xeromphalina campanella

Xeromphalina campanella is a species of mushroom. The common names of the species include the golden trumpet and the bell Omphalina. The genus name Xeromphalina means "little dry navel" and campanella means "bell-shaped", respectively describing the mature and young shapes of the pileus, or cap.^[1] The mushroom is also called fuzzy-foot.^[2]

Description

The fruit body of X. campanella has a small umbrella-shaped cap and a thin brown stalk with yellow hairs at the base.^[3] The gills are pale yellow to pale orange. The stalk is thick, dry, yellow at the apex, is dark reddish brown below, and the base has long orangeish hairs. The spore print is pale buff.^[4] Xeromphalina kauffmanii resembles the species, but it grows on decaying wood of broad-leaved trees.^[1] Xeromphalina brunneola also remembles the species, except for the odor, taste, color of the cap, and by the smaller, narrowly elliptical spores.^[5] When the species is young, their caps are bell-shaped. As they mature, the outer part of the cap expands and rises which leaves the center depressed, resembling a navel.^[6]

Edibility

Although the species is not poisonous,^[1] the mushrooms are small and bitter tasting with no value as edibles.^[6][7] David Arora suggests that the mushroom is a small morsel that is hardly worth eating.^[8] Despite many authors calling the mushroom inedible, author Bill Russell knows people that eat the mushroom frequently.^[9]

Habitat

The fruiting occurs in clumps or very dense clusters on decaying logs, stumps, and woody debris of coniferous trees. The species is commonly found in North America.^[3] At times, the species almost entirely covers old tree stumps.^[1] The species can be found in any wet season of the year.^[6]

References