Common Lawn Bonnet

Toxic

Mycena abramsii

Also known as: Abrams' Bonnet

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Description

Mycena abramsii is a small, saprobic mushroom characterized by its delicate, conical to bell-shaped cap, often pale greyish-brown to whitish, and its distinct odor of bleach or alkaline substances.

How to Identify

Cap: 0.5 to 2.5 cm in diameter, conical to campanulate, often with a slight umbo, hygrophanous, pale greyish-brown to whitish.
Gills: Adnate to subdecurrent, pale, close together, often with a slight edge discoloration.
Stem: 2 to 7 cm long, thin, hollow, fragile, smooth to slightly pruinose at the top.
Flesh: Thin, fragile, and lacks significant substance.
Fruiting body: Small, fragile, typical mushroom shape with a cap on a thin stem.
Habitat: Typically found on rotting wood, twigs, or debris, especially of deciduous trees; occasionally on buried wood in grassy areas.

Key Facts

Cap surfaces: Smooth to slightly translucent-striate.
Growth Form: Solitary or in small groups.
Spore Print: White.
Body color: Pale grey, beige to whitish.
Odor: Bleach or chemical/alkaline.
Flesh bruises: No significant bruising.
Height: 2-8 cm.
Cap Diameter: 0.5-2.5 cm.
Nutrient gathering: Saprobic (decomposing wood).

Toxic

Mild Toxicity

While not strictly lethal, it is generally considered inedible due to its small size, lack of nutritional value, and potentially harsh taste; some Mycena species contain varying levels of toxins.

Toxin Type: Not fully documented, but many small Mycena contain trace alkaloid compounds.Reaction Type: Gastrointestinal distress if ingested in quantity.

Quick Check

Odor: Distinctively alkaline or bleach-like.
Fruiting: Spring to late autumn.
Substrate: Decaying woody debris or buried wood.

Where to Find

Northern Hemisphere

Widely distributed throughout North America and Europe, often in temperate forest ecosystems.

Deciduous Woodlands

Common in moist, leaf-litter rich areas where woody debris is abundant.

Finding Tips

Seasonality

Look for these in spring through autumn following periods of rainfall.

Substrate inspection

Examine small twigs and fallen branches rather than the soil directly, as they are saprobic on wood.

Similar Species

Common Bonnet

Mycena galericulata

Also known as: Mycena galericulata

Bleaching Bonnet

Mycena pura

Also known as: Lilac Bonnet

Scientific Classification

Phylum: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Mycenaceae
Genus: Mycena

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