Community find

Velvet Shank

Flammulina velutipes

Group

gilled mushroom

Season

Commonly found in late autumn through early spring, often fruiting even after frosts or during mild winter thaws.

Habitat

Grows in clusters on dead or living deciduous wood, particularly on logs, stumps, and living trees. It often prefers elm, oak, and willow.

Key characteristics

Caps are typically 2-10 cm in diameter, convex to flat, often sticky or slimy when wet, and shades of yellow, orange, or reddish-brown. Gills are adnexed to adnate, widely spaced, and whitish to pale yellow. Stems are typically 3-10 cm long, slender, velvety and dark brown to blackish at the base, becoming lighter creamy yellow or orange towards the cap. The spore print is white.

Look-alikes

Galerina marginata (Funeral Bell) is a distinct look-alike that often grows on wood; however, it has a membranous ring on the stem, rusty brown spores, and lacks the velvety stem base. Pholiota spp. can also look similar but typically have more scaly caps and different spore colors.

Ecological role

It is a saprobic fungus, playing a crucial role in the decomposition of dead wood, returning nutrients to the ecosystem. It can also be a weak parasite on living trees.