Pholiota adiposa

Pholiota adiposa (Batsch) P. Kumm. (illustrated 30% life size) Cap 5–12cm across; golden-yellow; viscid, covered in gelatinous, rusty brown, upturned scales, especially towards centre. Stem 20–50×5–10mm, often curved or distorted due to growing in clusters; yellow; smooth above the inconspicuous torn ring, covered in bands of viscid, brownish, recurved scales below. Flesh pale yellow in cap, darkening to brownish in stem; tough; smell scented. Gills adnate; yellow at first, later rusty brown. Spores 5–6.5×3–3.5¼, oval, smooth. Spore print rusty brown. Pleurocystidia lanceolate with acute mucronate apex, thin-walled. Habitat in dense clusters at the foot of beech trees or stumps; late summer to autumn. Uncommon. Not edible. Note Holec (2001) has proposed that this fungus may actually be P. jahnii, but most mycologists have not as yet accepted this.