Mycena pura
Species of fungus
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First called Agaricus prunus in 1794 by Christian Hendrik Persoon, it was assigned its current name in 1871 by German Paul Kummer.
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Description
Mycena pura is a tiny to medium-sized mushroom that can grow in a variety of hues, frequently with purple undertones. The cap ranges from 2 to 6 centimetres (3⁄4 to 2+1⁄4 in) in size. It is violet to purple when young but can change color with age. It can be convex, flat, or bell-shaped. The gills are pale or pinkish in color and get cross veins as they age. The stem is 4 to 10 cm (1+1⁄2 to 4 in) long and 2 to 6 millimetres (1⁄8 to 1⁄4 in) thick. It is colored like the cap, hollow, and the same shade. There is no ring on the mushroom. It has a radish-like scent. The spores are white and produce a white spore print.
It produces a faint bioluminescence, visible at night.
Similar species
Similar species include Clitocybe nuda, Laccaria amethysteo-occidentalis, M. purpureofusca, and M. pelianthina.
Distribution and habitat
It is widely dispersed across North America and can be found beneath conifers or occasionally hardwoods as decomposing forest litter.
Ecology
Mycena pura is known to bioaccumulate the element boron.
Toxicity
Given that it includes the toxin muscarine, it should not be consumed. M. pura does not appear to have any psychedelic characteristics.
Despite the presence of toxins, some guides list M. pura as edible.
Bioactive compounds
Mycena pura contains the chemical puraquinonic acid, a sesquiterpene. This compound induces mammalian cells (specifically, the cell line HL60) to differentiate into granulocyte- or macrophage-like cells. The fungus also contains the antifungal metabolite strobilurin D, previously found in Cyphellopsis anomala.