Frosty Bonnet

Frosty Bonnet - Mycena tenerrima

Alternative names
Mycena adscendens
Description

A tiny fragile white or pale grey fungus found on twigs, mossy trunks and woody debris, usually of deciduous species.  There are few widely spaced gills and the cap is coverd in powdery woolly floccules, like sugar.  The stem is finely hairy when young, and there is a small basal disc. 

Similar Species

Several other tiny Mycena are found in similar habitats and also have a basal disc, but with a separatable gelatinous pellicle ('skin' on cap surface).  Other small Mycena species lack the basal disc.

Identification difficulty
ID checklist (your specimen should have all of these features)

Cheilocystidia with long smooth beak and usually minutely warted swollen base.

Recording advice

This can be difficult to verify from photos, unless they are very clear.  A description of the texture of the cap will help.  Microscopic examination should  confirm the identification.  Photograph from top down, in side view and from underneath to show gills and full length of stipe including basal disc.  Note habitat and substrate.

Habitat

Woodland, on deciduous woody debris

When to see it

Autumn.

UK Status

Widespread and fairly frequent in Britain.

VC55 Status

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Additional images

All NatureSpot records