text: cyptotrama asprata cyptotrama asprata ( alternatively spelled ) , commonly known as the golden - scruffy , is a saprobic species of mushroom in the family physalacriaceae . widely distributed in tropical regions of the world , it is characterized by the bright orange to yellow cap that in young specimens is covered with tufts of fibrils resembling small spikes . this fungus has had a varied taxonomical history , having been placed in fourteen genera before finally settling in cyptotrama . this species is differentiated from several other similar members of genus cyptotrama by variations in cap color , and spore size and shape . history this species was first described from ceylon by english naturalist miles joseph berkeley in 1847 ; soon after ( 1852 ) , specimens were collected from south carolina usa . later , the fungus was described under a variety of names : lentinus from cuba ; agaricus and agaricus lacunosa from new york ; collybia lacunosa from michigan ; and omphalia in connecticut . as canadian mycologists redhead and ginns explain in a 1980 article on the species , since its original 1847 description , c. asprata has been given 28 names , and placed in 14 different genera . description the cap is 0 . 6 to 2 . 7 cm ( 0 . 24 to 1 . 06 in ) in diameter , convex to cushion - shaped . the cap surface is dry , and younger specimens are covered with characteristic spikes ; as the spikes break up with age , they tend to look more hairy or woolly . older specimens typically have the surface features worn off . the cap margin tends to be rolled inwards when young , gradually becoming straight with maturity . the color of the cap is bright or pale yellow , increasing in intensity towards the center of the cap . c. asprata has a web - like ring that soon disappears . the gills , pale yellow to white in color , are distantly spaced and have an adnate ( squarely attached ) or short decurrent ( running down the length ) attachment to the stem ; they feel greasy when dried and crushed . the stem is 1 to 6 . 7 centimetres ( 0 . 4 to 2 . 6 in ) long by 0 . 2 to 0 . 4 centimetres ( 0 . 08 to 0 . 16 in ) thick at the stem apex ; the stem is slightly thicker towards the base , and may be covered with hyphae that appear woolly ( ) or hairy ( fibrillose ) . the surface of the stem may also be scaly – especially towards the base – or it may be covered with very small particles ( granular ) . the flesh of this mushroom is white or pale yellow , with no distinctive taste or odor . the spore print is white . edibility is unknown for this fungus . microscopic features spores are thin - walled , smooth , and ellipsoidal or oval in shape . viewed with a microscope , they appear translucent ( hyaline ) , and stain red or blue with melzer 's reagent ( in amyloid ) . their dimensions are typically 7 – 10 by 5 – 7 µm ; the spores contain a single large oil droplet . the spore - bearing cells , the basidia , are club - shaped , two- to four - spored , and 25 – 30 by 5 – 7 µm . the presence of sterile cells called pleurocystidia ( large cells found on the gill face in some mushrooms ) is uncommon ; specimens may contain few or abundant cheilocystidia ( large sterile cells found on the gill edge ) that are club - shaped , thin - walled and 39 – 87 . 5 by 8 . 5 – 16 µm in size . habitat and distribution cyptotrama asprata is a saprobic fungus , and grows on the decaying wood of deciduous and coniferous trees . host species include white fir ( abies concolor ) , sugar maple ( acer saccharum ) and other maple ( acer ) species , grey alder ( alnus oblongifolia ) , beech ( fagus ) species , spruce ( picea ) species , ponderosa pine ( pinus ponderosa ) and other pine ( pinus ) species , poplar ( populus ) and oak ( quercus ) species . in temperate north america , specimens are typically collected between july through september . the species has a pantropical distribution , and is widely distributed in tropical regions of the world . it has been collected from australia , southeastern canada , china , costa rica , india , hawaii , new zealand , japan , and the russian far east . it is absent from europe and northwestern north america . similar species many other members of genus cyptotrama are similar in appearance and differ from c. asprata by only one or two readily observable features . for example , c. granulosa is bright yellowish - brown ( rather than bright or pale yellow in c. asprata ) ; c. is ochre - colored ; c. is cream - colored with brown scales ; c. has a " copper - rust - brown " cap ; c. has olive - colored pigments . species may also be distinguished by differences in spore size and shape , although a considerable size range has been noted for c. asprata spores .