Plants and animals of Pointfield

Cap domed convex, up to 5 cm in diameter but mostly 2-3 cm; close-packing of caps means that they are typically distorted with near-straight edges. Colour of disc dark chestnut brown at the centre grading to orange-yellow and then pale lemon yellow at the margin. Centre of disc often cracked; edge turned under slightly. Gills dense, unbranched; pale yellow with a distinct green tinge when fresh, fading to a grey with age. Adnate with a slight notch but often pulling away from the stem to become free. Edge of disc retains dark brown remnants of a veil – in figured specimen partially covering the gills. Stem up to 5 cm long and 5 mm in diameter, usually a little shorter; yellow in colour with a distinct green tinge and a silky sheen when fresh; darkening to a yellow orange towards the base and flecked with brown. Thin, black remnants of the veil seen towards the top but no ring present. Stems typically fused with others towards the base.

Spore print purple brown. Spores ovate and thick-walled without ornament; 5.8-6.8 um x 4.0-4.5um (mean 6.2 x 4.2 um, n = 15); mostly without lipid inclusions. Germ pore present at one end. Staining brown in Metzer’s reagent; unreactive in NaOH. Cap stains a strong orange in Metzers; cap surface fibrous with occasional simple cylindrical pileocystidea projecting. Basidia four-spored. Clavate cheilocystidea along gill edges with inclusions (chrysocystidia).

Growing from old tree stump near the entrance gate (October). Also seen around an old tree stump in the Kelso Old Parish Church graveyard (May).