Spore Print of the Week

In the field, I confidently put this group of fungi (extra) growing on a dead conifer stump down as Velvet Shank (Flammulina velutipes), even though on closer examination the stipe isn't quite right - in the half light of a rainy conifer plantation it's an easy mistake to make. The one I brought home home gave me this beautiful spore print - but a Velvet Shank spore print is white! I can only describe this one as "rust-coloured", and from there it's not a great jump to identifying it as Common Rustgill (Gymnopilus penetrans). This is a good example of how fungal spore prints can be useful in identification. 


Nikon D7200
Tokina 100mm f/2.8
f9 1/100 ISO 450