Hypholoma sublateritium

Scientific name:  Hypholoma sublateritium (Fries) Quelet
Derivation of name: Sub- means "somewhat" or "almost" and  laterit- means "brick-colored." So, this
mushroom was judged to be nearly brick-colored by the
name's author.
Synonyms:  Naematoloma sublateritium (Fr.) P. Karst.
Common name(s):  Brick cap; Brick tops.
Phylum:   Basidiomycota
Order:   Agaricales
Family:   Strophariaceae
Occurrence on wood substrate:  Saprobic; in clusters
on decaying deciduous stumps, logs, or standing dead
trees; August through November.  
Dimensions:  Caps 4-10 cm wide; stipes 4-10 cm long
and 0.5-1.5 cm thick.   
Cap: Moist; brick-red but paler toward margin.        
Gills: Attached; Whitish to pale greenish-yellow,
becoming purplish and finally purple-brown as the spores
mature.
Spore print: Purple-brown.
Stipe: Whitish or pale yellow above, grayish to brownish
to reddish brown toward the base
Veil: Partial veil leaves a fibrous zone near the stalk apex
which may become purple-brown following deposition of
spores.
Edibility: Field guides give mixed reviews as to the
edibility of this mushroom.
Comments: Lincoff states the species is only tasty when
very young. Miller indicates the species is bitter and inedible.

More information at MushroomExpert.com:   


Figure 1. Brick tops growing inside a hollowed log.
Photo © Gary Emberger.

Figure 2. Same log as in Figure 1 but with loose bark
removed to show large clusters of mushrooms growing
inside the hollowed, rotted log. Photo © Gary Emberger.

Figure 3. Closeup of Hypholoma sublateritium from the
log in Figures 1 and 2. Note the pale coloration, probably
due to the dark environment inside the hollowed log.
Photo © Gary Emberger.

Figure 4. Hypholoma sublateritium growing from
dead pin oak (Quercus palustris) roots in a landscape.
Photo © Gary Emberger.

Figure 5. Closeup of the large cluster in Figure 4.
Compare the brick-like coloration of these specimens to
those in Figure 3. Photo © Gary Emberger.


Figure 6. Clustered growth from dead pin oak roots.
Photo © Gary Emberger.

Figure 7. A photogenic cluster of brick tops.
Photo © David Work.

Figure 8. The brick tops of Figure 7 viewed from above.
Photo © David Work.

Figure 9. The young gills of Hypholoma sublateritium
are often whitish. Photo © William Roody.

Figure 10. Hypholoma sublateritium has attached gills.
The spores are purple-brown and are evident on the light
colored gill surfaces. Photo © Gary Emberger.

Figure 11. The partial veil may leave a fibrous zone near
the stalk apex. This zone may become purple-brown
following deposition of spores. Because the presence of
this annular zone is a variable trait, this species keys out
with mushrooms having partial veils and with those
lacking veils. Photo © Gary Emberger.


Figure 12. In a tight cluster of fruit bodies, spores may be
deposited on the caps of mushrooms positioned below
the gills of other mushrooms. The dark purple-brown
spore deposits observed on these caps provide a
convenient spore print for this species. Photo © Gary
Emberger.

Figure 13. This gnome will enjoy a feast of brick cap
mushrooms. Photo © Gary Emberger.