Probably Psathyrella ammophila

Don More 10/11/13

Don Moore: I finished clamming and noticed this group of mushrooms growing on the sand under a piece of driftwood. I haven't gotten a spore print but I think the spores are very dark colored. brown/black? the gill attachment is adnexed. The stipes are hollow and contorted. In the picture above (on the note paper) the three mushroom(s) on the left are all coming from one stipe, and it looked like other mushrooms were sprouting from previously broken stipes.

I don't know what these are, and any nudge in the right direction would be appreciated.

Taylan: I wonder if it could be Melanoleuca cinereifolia. A few pics at http://bit.ly/1fYIIh3.

Judy: Seriously doubt it could be a Melanoleuca - notice the dark gills, and esp. the veil material hanging on the edges of the caps. Also the young caps are too sharply bell-shaped. Probably a Cortinarius.

Don: I coaxed a very weak spore print from one of the caps and it was black. Not a cortinarius.

Sava: But it could still be Psathyrella ammophila

Judy : You are right; had forgotten about that one. I used to see it in Ocean Shores, in Grays Harbor, and knew it looked familiar but couldn't find some of my log notes from there. It loves sand dunes.