or…what is that little mushroom?
These delicate little mushrooms came up in our front garden today and Tuffy asked, “Mister Anchovy, what are these?” Well, if I had my wits about me, I would have immediately replied, “Oh, they’re Obcsurecybe delicatimus. Poisonous.” Instead, I said, “I’ll pick some and see if I can figure it out.” Never say that.
These mushrooms are about 3 inches tall, with delicate stems that are about the same colour as the top of the cap (the photo is deceptive…the stems are lighter than they look in the photo….good rule of thumb: the photo is always deceptive). The caps are dry and more dun than tan on top and you can see the lines of the gills through the top of the cap. They are very delicate. Underneath, the gills are a rusty colour. I looked at several of them and I was sure the gills were attached to the stem, but this was deceptive too because the mushrooms had pointed caps and it was difficult to really see the attachment. I pulled one apart and looking at it that way, I’d say the gills stop just before they might attach but don’t quite attach. The gills have a very delicate papery quality and you can see in the picture the edges of the gills look a little frilly. There is no distinctive odour and the mushroom doesn’t appear to stain if I bruise or break or cut it. There is no ring, no vulva and no hint of a veil or a ring.
The mushrooms were growing in a cluster of perhaps 15.
I have no idea what these mushrooms could be. I considered doing a spore print and maybe that would help. Some field guides are organized by spore print colour. I know one thing for sure. Even if they are tasty edibles, they are so insubstantial that they wouldn’t be worth harvesting for the table. I suppose this is why mycologists came up with the LBM – the Little Brown Mushroom or the Little Boring Mushroom.
27th Street 
I’m glad you’re being cautious about this. My brother-in-law once accepted some mushrooms from a friend who thought they were a certain type but didn’t describe the growing situation. Kelly consulted his mushroom book and figured it was a positive ID, so he cooked them up. As he was frying them he popped a few raw. He and my sister both ate them on antelope steak, and she didn’t have any negative effects, but he wound up having to go to the ER later and have his stomach pumped. We’re still not sure if it was because he ate them raw, if they were misidentified, or if he happened to be allergic to this type. The friend explained where he found them and Kelly now thinks they were one of those types that masquerades as another. Needless to say he only eats what he picks himself now.
That’s when I say, “it probably an LBM.”