Pinwheel Mushrooms

Family Marasmiaceae

Overview
Pinwheel Mushroom (Family Marasmiaceae)
Photo by Bridget L
 

Marasmiaceae is a family of small gilled mushrooms. It occurs worldwide on every continent including Antarctica. There are an estimated 5,900 species in 54 genera worldwide, at least 28 genera in North America north of Mexico, and at least 61 species in 17 genera in Minnesota.

Marasmiaceae mushrooms are found in coniferous, deciduous, and mixed forests. They grow on the ground on needle duff, leaf litter, and woody debris. They help to break down leaf litter, getting their nutrients from non-living organic matter (saprobic).

Though small and delicate in appearance, they survive dry periods by shriveling up, then quickly returning to their normal state during the next rain.

 
           
 
Description
 
 

Marasmiaceae are mostly tiny mushrooms. The cap is convex to flat but never cone-shaped. The stems are thin and often wiry. They appear delicate but on most species they are tough. The spore print is white.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

4, 24, 26, 29, 30, 77.

 
  12/13/2021      
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Fungi (fungi)  
  Subkingdom Dikarya  
  Phylum Basidiomycota (club fungi)  
  Subphylum Agaricomycotina (jelly fungi, yeasts, and mushrooms)  
  Class Agaricomycetes (mushrooms, bracket fungi, puffballs, and allies)  
  Subclass Agaricomycetidae  
  Order Agaricales (common gilled mushrooms and allies)  
  Suborder Marasmiineae  
       
 

Fungi in the family Marasmiaceae were formerly placed in the family Tricholomataceae. That was a waste-basket family, containing all mushrooms in the order Agaricales with white, yellow, or pink spores that were not already assigned to other families. Between 1980 and 2006 several families, including Marasmiineae, have been separated from Tricholomataceae.

 
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

Baeospora spp.

Calathella spp.

Calyptella spp.

Campanella spp.

Cephaloscypha spp.

Clitocybula spp.

Connopus spp.

Crinipellis spp.

Gerronema spp.

Glabrocyphella spp.

Gymnopus spp.

Henningsomyces spp.

Lentinula spp.

Macrocystidia spp.

Marasmiellus spp.

Pinwheels and Parachute Mushrooms (Marasmius spp.)

Megacollybia spp.

Mycetinis spp.

Nothopanus spp.

Omphalotus spp.

Pleurocybella spp.

Pseudotyphula spp.

Rectipilus spp.

Resupinatus spp.

Rhodocollybia spp.

Skepperiella spp.

Stromatocyphella spp.

Tetrapyrgos spp.

Trogia spp.

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

Pinwheel Mushrooms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Saprobic

A term often used for saprotrophic fungi. Referring to fungi that obtain their nutrients from decayed organic matter.

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this fungus.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

Bridget L

 
    Pinwheel Mushroom (Family Marasmiaceae)   Pinwheel Mushroom (Family Marasmiaceae)  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this fungus.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
     
     
     

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this fungus.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Bridget L
12/4/2021

Location: Dakota County

Pinwheel Mushroom (Family Marasmiaceae)

 
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars


Created: 12/13/2021

Last Updated:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.