Habitat & Distribution: This fungus is to be found buried in the surface layers of soil in beech woods. T. rufum is smaller and smoother and the spores are not crested but simply minutely spiny.
Illustrations: R. luteolus—Hvass 322; LH 215. El. granulatus—Hvass 325; LH 49. T. aestivum—LH 43. Melanogaster variegatus—LH 215 (see [p. 243]). Hymenogaster tener—LH 215 (see [p. 243]).
(ix) Fungal parasites
Nyctalis parasitica (Fries) Fries Pick-a-back-toadstool
Description: [Plate 81].
Cap: bell-shaped then becoming expanded, silky dirty white, but gradually grey with a flush of lilac with age.
Stem: slender, white and smooth except for the base.
Gills: pallid but soon becoming brownish, adnate or adnate with tooth, thick and distant alternately long and short and contorted or united with age.
Flesh: dark brown.
Spore-print: buff.