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Mycena blue-legged is a rare lamellar mushroom of the Mycenaceae family, genus Mycena. It is classified as inedible and poisonous and is listed in the Red Book of some Russian regions (Leningrad, Novosibirsk regions, St. Petersburg).
What do mycenae blue-footed look like?
They are small in size and have an inconspicuous appearance.
The cap of Mycena bluefoot is initially spherical, its edges adjacent to the stalk. Then it becomes bell-shaped, cone-shaped or semicircular, with a smooth, dry, striped surface, with a sharp serrated edge, pubescent. The color is whitish, light gray or grayish-brown, with shades ranging from cream to bluish. Diameter – 0.3-1 cm.
The stalk of Mycena bluefoot is thin, straight, fragile, pubescent, hollow, grayish, can be bent, slightly widened at the base. The bottom is felt, intensely blue. Height – 10-20 mm. Sometimes the entire leg and even part of the cap is blue.
The plates of mycena bluefoot are grayish or whitish, sparse, wide, almost not attached to the stalk. Spore powder is white.
The pulp is fragile, thin, translucent, practically odorless and tasteless. When broken, the color does not change and no juice is released.
Similar species
Mycena oblique. The cap is from grayish-brown to light brown, sometimes fawn. With age, it becomes lighter at the edges, remaining darker in the center. Size – from 2 to 4 cm in diameter. The shape is first ovoid, then in the form of a blunt bell. The leg is long, thin - 12 x 0.3 cm, with a powdery coating. In young mushrooms it is yellow, in old ones it takes on an orange tint. The pulp is fragile, thin, tasteless and odorless. The mid-frequency plates, fused with teeth, are light throughout life: cream or pink, sometimes gray. The spores are light cream. Grows in Europe, North America, Australia, North Africa. It is found in large colonies on fallen trees and stumps; sometimes specimens are fused with fruiting bodies. Likes to settle next to oaks, chestnuts, and birches. It is considered an inedible specimen and is not eaten.
Mycena is alkaline. The main differences from the blue-legged one are its larger size and the pungent smell of the pulp. In young mushrooms, the cap has the shape of a hemisphere; as it grows, it becomes prostrate; at any age, a tubercle can be seen in the center. Diameter – 1-3 cm. Color first creamy-brown, then fawn. The stem is long, hollow, the same color as the cap, yellowish below, with growths that are part of the mycelium.In a mature mushroom it is often not visible, so it appears squat. The pulp is thin, fragile, with an unpleasant chemical odor. The spores are whitish and transparent. Fruits from May to late autumn. It is found in many regions of Russia, growing in large groups on spruce cones and on fallen needles. Alkaline mycena is considered inedible due to its pungent odor and small size.
Where do blue-footed mycenae grow?
They grow in the northern part of Europe, including Russia, the Urals, and Western Siberia. Mycena blue-legged is found in small groups in humid mixed and pine forests, usually in old ones, and settles on dead wood, mossy fallen bark, cones, and on the substrate. Fruits from June to September.
Is it possible to eat blue-footed mycenae?
The mushroom is considered inedible and poisonous. Some sources list it as hallucinogenic. They are not eaten.
Conclusion
Mycena blue-legged is a small, inedible mushroom that contains small amounts of psilocybin. Some sources have information that it can be eaten after boiling. Since it is rare and very small in size, it is of no interest to mushroom pickers.
