Facial cystidia: absent.
Habitat & Distribution: Commonly found, in all but the coldest months, in woods, parks or gardens, often in dense clusters on stumps and fallen trunks of broad-leaved trees.
General Information: This is one of our commonest members, and one of the largest in the genus Mycena; many species in this genus are quite small yet are nevertheless very important components of the woodland flora decomposing leaves, twigs, etc., and contributing in this way to the recirculating of organic matter.
The name Mycena is derived from the same Greek word as that which refers to the country around the ancient city of Mycenae in the plain of Argos, and from whence Agamemnon came and gathered his forces to invade Troy to reclaim Helen his wife. It has been suggested that this similarity in name came about through the necessity for an army stationed in Argos, early in the history of Ancient Greece, to rely on the mushrooms found on the plains about to save the soldiers from starvation.
Illustrations: F 17a; Hvass 119; LH 109; NB 1338; WD 263.
Plate 14. Fleshy fungi: Spores white and borne on gills
![[Larger illustration]](#467779198995390083_illo069lg.png.id-7613935330916108709.wrap-0.html.html){kind=link}
Pluteus cervinus (Fries) Kummer Fawn pluteus
Cap: width 40-100 mm. Stem: width 10-15 mm; length 75-125 mm.