The species was originally described in the genus Pholiotina, and its morphology and a 2013 molecular phylogenetics study supported its continued classification there.[2]
Description
Conocybe rugosa has a conical cap that expands to flat, usually with an umbo. It is less than 3cm across, has a smooth brown top, and the margin is often striate. The gills are rusty brown, close, and adnexed. The stalk is 2mm thick and 1 to 6cm long, smooth, and brown, with a prominent and movable ring. The spores are rusty brown, and it may be difficult to identify the species without a microscope.[3]
Habitat and distribution
The species grows in woodchips, flowerbeds and compost piles.[4][5] It has been found in Europe, Asia and North America.[4][5] It is especially common in the Pacific Northwest.
Toxicity
This species is deadly poisonous,[6] the fruiting bodies containing alpha-amanitin, a cyclic peptide that is highly toxic to the liver and is responsible for many deaths by poisoning from mushrooms in the genera Amanita and Lepiota. They are sometimes mistaken for species of the genus Psilocybe due to their similar-looking cap.
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