Leratiomyces ceres, commonly known as the Redlead Roundhead, is mushroom which has a bright red to orange cap and dark purple-brown spore deposit. It is usually found growing gregariously on wood chips and is one of the most common and most distinctive mushrooms found in that habitat. It is also known as Stropharia aurantiaca, Hypholoma aurantiaca, Naematoloma aurantiaca, and a number of other synonyms. It is common in wood chips and lawns in North America, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere.

Description

• Cap: 2 to 6 cm in diameter, with thin flesh and a bright red to brick red top which is convex to plane in age. Has partial veil remnants when young. The cap surface is usually dry, but can be slightly viscid when moist.
• Gills: Close, white to pale gray at first, later darker purple/brown or purplish grey with whitish edges. Attached (adnexed to adnate) and often notched.
• Spores: Dark purple/brown. 10-13.5 x 6-8.5 m. Elliptical and smooth.
• Stipe: Whitish, often with dark orange stains in age (most evident around base), 4-8 cm long, .5 to 1cm wide, equal to slightly larger at the base, which often has pale yellowish mycelium attached. The veil is thin and leaves a fragile ring, sometimes not present with age. The stalk is smooth above the ring and has tiny scales below, which often wash off in rain.
• Taste: Mild
• Odor: Mild
• Edibility: Poisonous

External links

• Mykoweb - Stropharia aurantiaca
• Mushroom Expert - Stropharia aurantiaca