Honey Mushroom Armillaria mellea (Vahl) P. Kummer    
Kingdom Fungi   >   Phylum Basidiomycota   >   Class Agaricomycetes   >   Order Agaricales   >   Family Physalacriaceae   >   Genus Armillaria   

Status:

Found in clusters, usually at the base (or near) hardwood (occasionally pine) trees or stumps (J. Solem, pers. comm.).

This genus has been divided into several species. The black, shoestring-like rhizomorphs are commonly found beneath the bark of infected trees. Both the mycelium and rhizomorphs are sometimes bioluminescent and may be responsible for the "eerie" foxfire of wet woodlands. (L. Biechele, pers. comm.)

Description:

Honey-yellow caps are covered with numerous dark, erect fibrils and the stalk darkens when bruised. Spore print is white. (L. Biechele, pers. comm.) Thick membranous ring is also an identifying characteristic (J. Solem, pers. comm.).

Relationships:

See Abortive Entoloma. An esteemed edible when cooked (L. Biechele, pers. comm.).

There are 65 records in the project database.

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Honey Mushroom (overall) in Howard Co., Maryland (10/3/2009). Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom (gills, rings, and scaly stalks) in Howard Co., Maryland (10/3/2009). Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/27/2020). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Emilio Concari. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/27/2020). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Emilio Concari. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (10/27/2020). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Emilio Concari. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Howard Co., Maryland (10/3/2009). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Howard Co., Maryland (10/3/2009). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Honey Mushrooms in Calvert Co., Maryland (9/30/2017). Identified by Mac Plant at the base of a large, dead hardwood. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

A Honey Mushroom in Wicomico Co., Maryland (10/20/2014). Photo by Lance Biechele. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom (emerging fruiting bodies) in Howard Co., Maryland (10/1/2011). Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom (old fruiting bodies) in Howard Co., Maryland (10/5/2009). Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Howard Co., Maryland (10/2/2014). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Baltimore Co., Maryland (10/24/2020). (c) valleyruns, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by valleyruns via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Howard Co., Maryland (1/10/2020). Determined by Jo Solem. Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Baltimore Co., Maryland (6/16/2019). Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Howard Co., Maryland (6/10/2019). Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom rhizomorphs, commonly known as "boot laces," in Howard Co., Maryland (2/6/2011). Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Howard Co., Maryland (5/8/2019). Determined by Bob and Jo Solem. Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Garrett Co., Maryland (7/13/2019). Determined by Jo Solem. Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Howard Co., Maryland (10/20/2018). Determined by Jo and Bob Solem. Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Honey Mushroom in Howard Co., Maryland (1/27/2019). Determined by Jo Solem. Photo by Sue Muller. (MBP list)

Spores collected from a Honey Mushroom specimen in Howard Co., Maryland (10/3/2009). (c) Joanne and Robert Solem, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Joanne Solem. (MBP list)

Spores collected from a Honey Mushroom specimen in Howard Co., Maryland (10/3/2009). Broadly elliptical/oval, smooth; measured 7.1-8.2 X 5.1-5.5 microns. Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)

Spores collected from a Honey Mushroom specimen in Howard Co.,, Maryland (10/2/2014). Ellipsoid, smooth, hyaline; measured 6.6-7.2 X 4.6-5.2 microns. (Dark color is an artifact of the photograph.) Photo by Robert Solem. (MBP list)


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