Spores: medium sized, hyaline under the microscope and spherical, 7-8 µm in diameter and beautifully spiny.
Marginal and facial cystidia: absent.
Habitat & Distribution: Common in troops in woodland, copses, on heaths; in fact it may be found in nearly all possible habitats.
General Information: This is a very common agaric which in the future will probably be split into several distinct species; unfortunately it is as variable as it is common, hence the common name ‘deceiver’; it is often mistaken at first glance for many other species quite unrelated. I have seen even the most experienced mycologist pick up rather unfamiliar specimens of Laccaria laccata in mistake for a species of Lactarius or a species of Collybia, etc. I would hate to say more because I have been ‘deceived’ myself on more than one occasion. L. laccata appears to be a composite species, but because of the difficulty in defining some of the characters the splitting of the species has not as yet been satisfactorily solved. The smell, however, may well give a clue for some specimens smell very strongly of radish whilst others are odourless.
L. proxima (Boudier) Patouillard
, differs in having ellipsoid spores; it is larger in stature and is common in wet places.
L. amethystea (Mérat) Murrill
, differs in the deep violet or amethyst-colour of the fruit-body and commonly grows in shaded woods.
L. bicolor (Maire) P. D. Orton
, which is less frequent, has lilaceous gills and violaceous mycelium at the base of the stem.