Stropharia     Genus

This is a key to gilled mushrooms, that is, mushrooms having a definite cap with a fertile surface consisting of gills. The fruiting body usually also has a stem, although that may be lateral or absent (usually, then, the mushroom is growing from wood). You can use this key to identify mushrooms that you find.

Fruiting body containing fibers (usually in the stalk)

Black Spored     Suborder Spore print black, very dark brown, purplish black, or dark purplish brown, but not fitting the Gomphidiaceae Gills usually light grey, becoming black from spores only when very mature

Links from Look-alikes Chocolate Spored     Suborder Spore print deep chocolate brown. Think portobello or (when mature) commercial button mushrooms

Stropharia     Genus     (Fries) Quélet

Diagnosis

• All brightly colored, large (cap more than 3-4" across), substantial black-spored mushrooms go here.
  
• All slimy-capped non-Gomphidius black-spored mushrooms go here
  
• All non-Coprinus black-spored mushrooms with a persistent ring on the stem go here
  
• All non-Coprinus black-spored mushrooms with white rhizomorphs go here, and all Stropharias should be assumed to have them unless specifically mentioned

Comments

Narrow down your identification:

Cap up to 3" across; bright green to bluish green, becoming yellowish in age
Stem and cap margin with lots of flaky white universal veil remnants; the cap may also have a few, but these are much more sparse (more likely to wash off?)

Cap up to 6" across; vinaceous, fading to tan
Gills crowded, white when very young, becoming greyish-lilac and eventually black
Annulus thick, striate on its upper surface; often spiky, at least on its lower surface: it looks like the stem has impaled a sunflower

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