The pixie parasol nickname doesn’t just refer to its small size. This mushroom is a shapeshifter, opening up like an umbrella as it matures!
They start life as microscopic spores, slowly growing into tiny blue spheres that look a lot like shiny marbles.
As the stipe lifts the ball into the air, the sphere slowly flattens into the more familiar parasol shape.
Unlike many mushrooms, the tops of the pixie parasol are sticky.
With a little rain, they get shiny too!
When moist, the white gills and blue mushroom bodies look like tiny wave pools or oceans.
While they’re beautiful, you should probably keep your distance should you see one in the wild.
Their small size means that they are delicate, and not all members of the Mycena family are edible.
It’s always best to ask an expert before choosing any wild mushrooms as a snack.
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