rbenn

Okay, that makes sense. I always spore drop directly onto the slide with good success. I also feel it makes color identification easier as you can compare with different backgrounds. I have some congo red but haven't used it yet due to it's cancerous peoperties. But I have had some hard to see spores which makes sense to try congo on. Thanks for sharing your insights!

Is the bottom one the same as the top two? I can see the reticulation on the stem for the top two but not the bottom one. This does not look like bi-color to me. Cap is browner than I'd expect for that.

This is similar to how I was measuring mine before I got a microscope camera. I highly recommend one as it works very well in my opinion. When you say you mount your spore sample, preferably from a drop, what do you mean? I also only mount in KOH normally. What benefits do you see using the other mounting agents (besides melzers)?

I think I see what you're saying. The spore width on a curved spore would be misleading. If the spore is perfectly symmetrical then this method would be accurate. I don't have a great understanding of the measurement methods as this isn't really documented in any sources I've read. I can also use two lines to estimate the width and length as well. It can be a little difficult to make sure the lines are exactly perpendicular though or through the shortest distance. Some spore shapes can be especially difficult to measure. Surprising these have held up so well in our weather. I'm not going to bother with eating them. Honeys are a little rubbery for me anyways.

Spore print is white. Spore size 4.5-5.2 x 6.6-8 micron. Yes, there appears to be yellow scales on the top. Everything seems to be pointing to Armillaria ... But which one im not sure of.. Maybe gallica or calvescens.

Just found these today near the stump of a wild black cherry. Remind me of a honey.

Yes, they stain reddish brownish after 10 to 20 minutes.

I think you need to actually eat the mushroom to be poisonous. If you can wash all of it off I would eat it, mind you spores will coat everything nearby.

You should probably post this in identifying mushrooms if you want an ID.

Don't think so. I just saw a similar fried egg looking cap a few days ago.

I definitely wouldn't eat it if there is blue staining. Here is a post about Boletus Huronensis, although the cap and pores seem a little off color, maybe this one is just fresher? Also, the staining in their mushroom appears to be more spotty and not uniform like yours. https://mushroomobserver.org/observer/show_observation/331948

There is a few attributes you can look at, but this is a difficult species to differentiate. Ramaria formosa is a toxic mushroom similar to the one you posted. I would definitely want to eliminate that as a possibility if you were to eat this. Here is a thread you can read through with some useful info:

The cap color, the chip out of the cap making it look chalky, stem color. The purple around the gills definitely looked off to me, more like a Cortinarius. Just was a guess and I was just going off memory. Looking at my book I would say C camphoratus is possible without any more info.

Russula species.

A russula of some sort perhaps.

Looks like a Ramaria aurea, or similar fungus.

Too small for me to identify yet.

Yes, it is very handy. It came with my Amscope microscope camera and it's just called Amscope.

Well, as I thought I had two pop up due to the rain last night in the same place. Cap size on this one again is about 5cm. Spore print white. Spore size: 8.75 - 9.61 x 6.29-7.03 in KOH. Flesh in the stem seems to stay white in the middle and yellow around the edges, turned reddish brown over time. Looks like I got Leucoagaricus americanus like you guys thought. Thankfully it is also a "choice edible" as well. Anyone eat these? What's strange is my book calls out spore sizes 9-14 x 4-5 and Kuo lists 9-11 x 6-7. Funny how two reputable sources can be so different. Sometimes I find my book more accurate, other time Kuo. Initial stem cut

This one was about 5cm but I had seen one earlier this week about 12cm wide but didn't realize it was possibly a choice edible. I tossed it as it was drying out but hopefully another one pops up so I can check the stem. I also believe the spore sizes are completely different with Macrolepiota being bigger than Leucoagaricus, so that might be a good confirmation as well. I've got several large Leucoagaricus americanus popped up on my wood chip pile right now as well.

Thanks Dave. I'll stick with Armillaria gallica for now.

Hard to say from the picture. Maybe an Amanita. Need picture of the cap and bulb of the stalk.

Thanks. I par boiled for several minutes, discarded water and wiped with paper towel, fried in load of butter. Was a bit chewey, taste was mild. I cut the stems off flush with bottom.

Thanks for the suggestion. Amanita ceciliae (or American equivalent) spore size does match and the stem has no ring, and gray flakes at the stem base which matches. Sounds like this may be it.

If Leucoagaricus americanus, which looks similar, this should have gills that stain brown or red and be on wood chips. It does look similar.