Laccaria amethystina
Amethyst Deceiver
Status:
Common.
from Persian meaning 'painted'.
Cap:
1-6 cm
Stem:
2-6 cm
meaning amethyst coloured.
Description
The ‘deceiver’ part of the name comes from the fact it can change colour depending on if it is dry (then it goes pale, almost white) or when it is wet (dark and more brown). The gills and stem however usually stay the same colour though. There are a number of other ‘deceivers’ but they are usually pink or fleshy coloured, the only other to have a tinge of purple (at the base only) is the Bicoloured Deceiver (Laccaria bicolor).
Against a green mossy woodland floor they stick out from some distance, but on leaf litter they can be surprisingly well camoflagued.
Smell
Not distinctive.
Season
Generally late summer to autumn but in mild winters can be found right into the new year.
Habitat & Distribution
Very common over all the UK, usually found in Oak (Quercus) and Beech (Fagus) woodland.
Edibility
Edible.
Confusion Species
Spores
8–11.5µm, usually round.
Spore Print Colour
White.
There are very few small purple mushrooms, some members of the Cortinarius family have a purple tinge, but not on the scale of the Amethyst Deceiver, the cortinarius family also have ginger spores and the gills are usually tinged ginger, a quick way to test is to leave the mushroom on a white piece of paper (cut the stem off and place the cap down so the gills are nearest the paper) and after a few hours you will get a spore print and can see if it is ginger, if it is leave it alone.
The Lilac Fibrecap (Inocybe geophylla var lilacina) is another similar species but close inspection should reveal it to be paler overall without the purpley gills.