Pholiota spp.

Scientific names: Kuehneromyces vernalis (Sacc.) Singer & A.H. Sm. (= P. vernalis); Pholiota spumosa (Fr.) Singer; Pholiota populnea (Pers.) Kuyper & Tjall.-Beuk.; Pholiota polychroa (Berk.) A.H. Sm. & H.J. Brodie; Kuehneromyces mutabilis (Schaeff.) Singer & A.H. Sm. (= P. mutabilis);  Pholiota highlandensis (Peck) A.H. Sm. & Hesler; Pholiota flavida (Schaeff.) Singer; Hemistropharia albocrenulata (Peck) Jacobsson & E. Larss. (= P. albocrenulata).
Derivation of names: Vernalis pertains to spring. Spumosa means "foamy" or "foaming." Populnea refers to poplars and aspens. Polychroa means "many colors." Mutabilis means "changeable." Highlandensis means ?. Flavida means "yellowish." Albocrenulata means "white notched."  
Phylum:   Basidiomycota
Order:   Agaricales
Family:   Strophariaceae
Occurrence on wood substrate: Saprobic; many grow in clusters on deciduous wood and/or conifers but some are terrestrial, growing from buried or burned wood; spring through fall depending on the species.   
Dimensions: Consult field guides.   
Cap: Many of the large specimens have scaly and/or slimy caps but some species have smooth caps.        
Gills: Attached
Spore print:Brown to rusty-brown to cinnamon-brown
Stipe: Consult field guides.
Veil: Evidences of partial veils (rings, ring zones) and/or universal veils (scales) evident in young specimens. Edibility: Some species are edible and some are poisonous.  
Comments: Few Pholiota species can be identified with certainty apart from microscopic examination. This is true even of P. aurivella which can be indistinguisable macroscopically from P. limonella. In situations of confusion with Gymnopilus spp., Pholiota spores are smooth and an apical pore is evident.

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Figure 1. P. vernalis. Photo © Steve Nelsen.

  
Figure 2. P. spumosa complex.  Photo © Steve Nelsen.


Figure 3. P. populnea. Photo © Steve Nelsen.

Figure 4. P. polychroa. Photo © Steve Nelsen.


Figure 5. P. mutabilis. Photo © Steve Nelsen.


Figure 6. P. highlandensis. Photo © Steve Nelsen.


Figure 7. P. highlandensis. Photo © Steve Nelsen.


Figure 8. P. flavida complex. Photo © Steve Nelsen.


Figure 9. P. albocrenulata. Photo © Steve Nelsen.