Two-toned Scalehead (Kuehneromyces mutabilis)

Edibility:Good

Eating notes: Thin fleshed, but with a good flavour. Discard the tough stems. Can be used to add a rusty brown colour to stews.

Preserving: Dries easily. 

Cap: 3-6cm Pale ochre in the centre and Orange-brown around the edge with a distinct ragged edge between the two colours. Initially bell-shaped. Later expanding often with a wide umbo.

Gills: Pale brown to rusty brown

Stem: The large delicate ring often collapses early to leave only a residual ring. Above this the stem is smooth and pale ochre. Below the ring the stem is rough, scaly and increasingly dark towards the base.

Spores: Dark ochre brown

Flesh: Thin, pale yellowish

Habitat: In large clusters on deciduous deadwood.

Frequency: Common