Conocybe

Conocybe is a genus of fungi belonging to the family Bolbitiaceae. These mushrooms are commonly known as cone caps or haymakers due to their characteristic conical to bell-shaped cap. The genus is widespread and found in various habitats, often growing in grasslands, lawns, dung, and rich soil.

Species within Conocybe are generally small to medium-sized mushrooms. Their caps are typically hygrophanous, meaning they change color as they dry out. The color can range from pale brown to reddish-brown or yellowish-brown. The gills are usually adnate to adnexed and may be pale at first, becoming rusty brown as the spores mature. The stipe is often slender, sometimes slightly bulbous at the base, and may have a delicate ring or remnants of one.

Many Conocybe species are saprotrophic, playing a role in decomposition. However, the genus is also notorious for containing several species that are poisonous. Conocybe filaris, for example, is known to contain amatoxins, the same deadly compounds found in the death cap mushroom. Due to the presence of toxic species and the difficulty in distinguishing them from edible or less harmful ones, it is strongly advised not to consume any mushroom from the Conocybe genus without expert identification. Research into the taxonomy and distribution of Conocybe continues, with genetic studies helping to clarify relationships within the genus.