It always surprises me when I discover a mushroom growing in late autumn, but as you can see by my photos, it does happen. This one is Nitrous Bonnet (Mycena leptocephala). A fungus with a conical cap that can get to be just a bit over an inch in diameter. That cap has a raised center which in the mushroom world is called an umbo.

This species of fungus is sabrobic which means it feeds on dead or decaying organic matter, and in this particular case it feeds on conifer needles, cones and sticks on the forest floor. And indeed, if you look very carefully, you’ll see that these mushrooms have emerged among pine needles.

This look at the gills pleased me with its gray color. Not a color that I would have expected.

This blog gives no information about the edibility or toxicity of any of the mushrooms that are written about.