Candolleomyces is a genus of small to medium-sized fragile mushrooms found across forest floors, trail edges, and disturbed soil in many parts of the world. These saprobic fungi help decompose organic matter like leaf litter and wood, playing a key role in nutrient cycling. The genus was separated from Psathyrella after DNA studies showed it was genetically distinct and consistently lacked certain microscopic traits that defined its relatives (Wächter & Melzer, 2020).

Species in this genus have dark purplish-brown to black spore prints. The cap is typically bell-shaped to convex, often pale yellow, tan, or cream-colored, and may flatten with age. The stem is slender, hollow, and brittle, easily snapping when handled.

References

Wächter, D., & Melzer, A. (2020). Proposal of a new classification system for the family Psathyrellaceae based on phylogenetic analysis and morphological data. Mycological Progress, 19, 1151–1265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-020-01606-3