Lavender Baeospora
In the family Marasmiaceae, this species prefers well-rotted hardwoods, cottonwood in the photo, but may occur on conifers such as fir and spruce also. It is a decidedly uncommon fungus everywhere and on the IUCN red list of species of concern in many European countries. In the PNW it is more often found in lowland cottonwood forests or in mid-level Cascade westslope forests. Newly emergent it is a gorgeous species with a lavender cap, gills and stipe found always growing on well-rotted wood. The caps are under an inch across, smooth, hygrophanous, and soon fading to brown, ochre or buff colors. The lilac colors of the gills is much more persistent, and often a surprise find when a little brown mushroom on wood is picked and examined. The gills are attached and thin and feature very crowded spacing. The stipes are rather longish, and up to 2.5 inches, tough, smooth, lavender at first but fading in age. They are equal, cylindrical and adorned by whitish hairs at the base. The odor is fungal, the context very thin and the taste mild. Edibility is not known.