Pholiota terrestris

Pileus
Cap 2-8 cm broad, convex, nearly plane at maturity, umbonate; fibrillose with small brown scales over a pale buff to yellow-buff viscid layer; margin often with veil fragments, disappearing in age; flesh thin, pallid to pale brown; odor, mild.

Lamellae
Gills adnate, close, thin, pallid at first, dull brown at maturity.

Stipe
Stipe 3.5-9 cm tall, 0.5-1.0 cm thick, equal, occasionally tapering downward; surface dry, brown at base, pallid to pale buff above with conspicuous brown scales; veil pallid forming a superior, evanescent fibrillose ring.

Spores
Spores 4.0-6.5 x 3.5-4.5 µm, elliptical, smooth with an apical pore. Spore print brown.

Habitat
Clustered, usually on disturbed ground, e.g. lawns, paths, dirt roads; from late fall to mid-winter.

Edibility
Edible, but of poor quality.

Comments
Pholiota terrestris is recognized by its scaly cap and stipe, clustered fruitings, brown spores and terrestrial habit. It also has a distinctive "leggy" aspect, the stipe being longer than the cap width. In age the cap scales sometimes wash away but the stipe scales usually persist. Some Psathyrella species are similar, but lack the distinctive cap/stipe scale pattern; additionally they have purple-brown spores.