Hebeloma kammala

Hebeloma kammala    Family: Hymenogastraceae

Basidiomycota - gilled fungus

Cap:  Between 2 - 7 cm; Initially hemispherical, then convex, can become plane; somewhat shiny, smooth to slightly fibrillose (covered with silk-like fibres); sticky pinkish brown initially; centre fawn to brown, pale reddish brown or yellowish tan, orange cinnamon, edge paler, sometimes almost white at edge.

Gills:  Attached squarely (adnate) to only partially attached (adnexed); close; buff pink, pale reddish brown or palid salmony becoming almost musroom colour as spores mature.

Stem:  Slender to moderately stout, base a little swollen to bulbous, arising from whitish mycelium, somewhat hollow to solid, smooth to silky-fibrillose, apex mealy, pallid whitish, sometimes fuscous brown below.

Spores:  Pinkish brown in deposit; elongate, ellipsoid to almond shaped, finely warty-rough, appearing almost smooth, slightly thick-walled.

Habitat:  Under bushes and trees in native forests.

Substrate:  Soil and leaf litter.

Habit:  gregarious to caespitose (growing in tufts)

Season:  Autumn to winter.

Comments: kammala, the species epithet ia an Aboriginal word meaning 'fungus'

Reference: Grgurinovic, C.A, 1997, Larger Fungi of South Australia.