ym_wang_pnws bestämningar

Very tiny mushroom barely visible to the naked eye. Very wiry stipe that was strong and almost unbreakable. Interesting butterscotch colored rhizomes at base of stipe. Stipe very dark - almost purplish colored under hand lens.
The mushroom upon being placed in a cup of water expanded appreciably.

Smell like garlic. They were growing at the base of a standing alive ash tree. They definitely seemed different to me. I had previously only ever found Pholiota squarrosoides and thought squarrosa may not occur in New Brunswick.

Voucher IPL3014
Ground under conifers. Veil present, with a membranous ring . Cap and stem fragile.
Caps under 3.5 cms. Veil towards the center of the cap, not the margin.
Their small size, and their Spring season, points to Psathyrella ellenae.
The added microscopy, is a little confusing since some of the described characters by Smith, sometimes are present, or mixed between the species variations, and perhaps also some characteristics of Psathyrella longistriata.:
Spores brown, elliptic, inequilateral, germ pore present but not evident, not clearly truncated, (8-8.7) x (4.4-4.8); Pleurocystidia ventricose with obtuse apex 50x13.5, ( upside down at times it would appear pointed); cheilocystidia present, vesiculate (Inflated), (28-30) x (11-14). I didn't see a reaction to KOH from this cystidia.

Emerging from crack in large log of fallen conifer, possibly Jeffrey pine. Log is charred farther down, but not in the immediate area where the mushroom is growing.
Cap dry, reddish honey-brown with white patches. Persistent white cortina. Young gills tan. Stipe yellowish bone color. Caespitose.
KOH red