# Orange Mycena (*mycena leana*)

The Orange Mycena is a bright and colorful mushroom that looks like a tiny umbrella! It's a fun find in the forest and can help break down dead plants.

- **Category:** [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fungi)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 11
- **Habitat:** Moist, shaded areas in forests.
- **Also known as:** Forest Umbrella, Little Orange Mushroom, Tiny Orange Cap

![Orange Mycena](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Mycena-leaiana.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Dan Molter (shroomydan), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mycena-leaiana.jpg)

## Appearance

The Orange Mycena has a vibrant orange to reddish-orange cap, often sticky when moist, atop a slender, equally colorful stem. Its cap is bell-shaped when young, flattening with age, and can appear slimy, helping it stand out among forest debris.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Fungi
- **Phylum:** Basidiomycota
- **Class:** Agaricomycetes
- **Order:** Agaricales
- **Family:** Mycenaceae
- **Genus:** Mycena

## Interesting facts

- Its scientific name, Mycena leana, honors a keen botanist!
- Its slender stems are surprisingly flexible and hollow inside!
- These mushrooms often grow so tightly, they look like a clump of candy!
- When wet, their caps get a super sticky, almost gooey, texture!

## Special abilities

- **Wood Recycler:** Orange Mycena can break down dead wood because of powerful enzymes that help them return nutrients to the forest.
- **Sticky Shield:** Orange Mycena has a slimy cap that helps them deter small insects and retain moisture during dry periods.
- **Cluster Power:** Orange Mycena can grow in dense clusters because their spores often germinate together, boosting their decomposition power.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 3-10 cm
- **Edible:** inedible
- **Size:** 1-4 cm
- **Growth Substrate:** wood
- **Season:** Summer to Fall
- **Spore Color:** White

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Slugs sometimes graze.

## Traits

- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.

## Collections

- [Fungi](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fungi)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always ask an adult before touching mushrooms.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Orange Mycena?

Compare the cap shape, the underside, the stem and base, and whether the fungus grows on wood or soil. Some fungi have gills, others pores or teeth. A cap seen only from above often hides the most useful features. Mushroom Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Orange Mycena?

3-10 cm

### Is Orange Mycena edible?

inedible

### How big is Orange Mycena?

1-4 cm

### Where is Orange Mycena usually found?

Moist, shaded areas in forests.

### What does Orange Mycena grow on?

wood

### When is Orange Mycena in season?

Summer to Fall

### What color are Orange Mycena spores?

White

## Where to spot

- [Abbott Farm Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/abbott-farm-historic-district) — New Jersey, US · Historic District
- [Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackhand-gorge-state-nature-preserve) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve
- [Loyalsock State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/loyalsock-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest
- [Kentucky Down Under](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kentucky-down-under) — Kentucky, US · Zoo
- [Beaver Creek State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/beaver-creek-state-forest) — Ohio, US · Forest
- [Kingston Stockade District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kingston-stockade-district) — New York, US · Historic District

[View all places to see Orange Mycena](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/orange-mycena)

## More Fungi

- [Field Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Button Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/button-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Portobello Mushroom](https://www.snappit.app/explore/portobello-mushroom) (*Agaricus*)
- [Shiitake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/shiitake) (*Lentinula*)

---

Source: [Orange Mycena: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orange-mycena)