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Edibility
Inedible
Lookalike Danger
1 / 5
Habitat
🪵 Dead wood
Season
May – Oct⏳ Soon
"Hundreds of tiny caps cluster on a stump overnight. Gone by afternoon. Fairy rings in miniature."
This species is found with or partners with the following hosts. Ectomycorrhizal hosts (green border) form a root-level partnership; ericoid / arbutoid shrubs (purple border) share the same mycorrhizal networks.

Decomposing wood of unspecified species — substrate for many generalist saprobic mushrooms.
Tiny tan-to-gray inky cap fruiting in MASSIVE clusters (hundreds to thousands at once) around dead hardwood stumps. Each cap is only 1-2 cm. Not toxic but too small and deliquescent to eat.
Dead hardwood stumps and buried roots across temperate regions. Spring through fall after rain.
Min Soil Temp
55°F
Moisture Need
rain 0.5in 7d
Drought Tolerance
moderate
Elevation Range
0–6,684 ft
All harmless but similarly useless as food.
Dead wood
Photograph it and log your observation on iNaturalist. The community can help confirm your ID — always get confirmation before eating.