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. In the
back, at the left, Entoloma abortivum can be seen.


Figure 2. These young specimens have silky fibrils near the
cap margins.

Figure 3. A photogenic cluster of brick tops.
Photo © David Work.

Figure 4. The brick tops of Figure 3 viewed from above.
Photo © David Work.

Figure 5. The young gills are often whitish.
Photo © William Roody.

Figure 6. The effect of the maturing spores on the color of
the gills can be seen on this specimen collected during
a foray.