About Heliocybe sulcata (Berk.) Redhead & Ginns
Heliocybe sulcata produces thumb-sized, tough, revivable mushroom fruitbodies that are often dried out. Its tanned, symmetric cap (pileus) grows up to 2 centimetres (3⁄4 inch) across, and is radially cracked into a ray pattern of scales and ridges. The species has cream-coloured, distant, serrated lamellae. Its stipe is cylindrical, growing up to 2 cm tall and 4 mm wide, it is sometimes curved, scaly toward the base, and often enlarged. Like the genus Neolentinus, H. sulcata produces abundant, conspicuous pleurocystidia, but unlike Neolentinus, H. sulcata lacks clamp connections. Crinipellis zonata does not have the same raised ridges along the cap margin that H. sulcata has. This fungus typically produces fruitbodies on decorticated, sun-dried and cracked wood. Common growth substrates include fence posts and rails, vineyard trellises in Europe, branches in slash areas, and wood from semi-arid areas such as sagebrush. It also grows on naio branches in rain shadow areas of Hawaii, and in open pine forests. In North America, it can be found in the Mountain states, and as far east as Texas and Kansas, fruiting from April to September.
