Small brown mushrooms

[Mycological_breakdown]

Not quite sure what these are, they pop up every year near an old stump in small groups, and the spores are black. Any ideas? I was thinking some sort of panaeolus.

[Dave W]

LBMs! Quite the challenge for the mushroom observer. I think these may be a species of Conocybe, something close to C. tenera. But Psathyrella is another possibility for the genus. Spore print color would settle this... assuming there's not another possibility. 

[Mycological_breakdown]

Starting a spore print now, it should be jet black as some of the surrounding mushrooms were stained black.

[troutddicted]

Little brown mushrooms and little brown birds

[Dave W]

Jet black spore print is a feature associated with Panaeolus, Psathyrella, and the coprinoid genera (Coprinus, Coprinellus, Coprinopsis). If black, I'd lean toward Psathyrella. Coprinellus would also seem like a possibility. But, it is often difficult to tell a black spore from one that is very dark brown. I think the best way is to collect (part of) a print on a black medium. Then, any hint of brown or purple will contrast with the black. Use non-porous surfaces to collect spore prints. 

Conocybe species have brown prints, but not very dark brown. 

[MattVa]

This one really grabbed my attention as I have been seeing many of these and would like to know myself. Always on dead wood when I find them but I had not made a effort to ID.