Sphagnurus paluster Sphagnum Greyling

A species which parasitises Sphagnum moss in marshy grassland and bogs. The striated olive brown cap, which is usually 2-3 cm in dameter, has a darker centre and becomes a paler grey-brown when it is dry. The gills are white or very pale grey in colour and the stalk is grey-brown. It is found throughout Britain in suitable habitats and although it is poorly recorded in Wales, including West Glamorgan, it is clearly under recorded and expected to be frequent, particularly in marshy habitats in the uplands. Sphagnum Greyling is a necrotrophic parasite which kills the cells of its host and lives off the dead necrotic tissue. Its mycelium develops penetrtion pegs which drill through the cell walls of its host and then secrete pectinase enzymes that digest and destroy the structural matrix of the cells. It doesn't appear to parasitise species of moss other than those of Sphagnum.

This species is also known by older names such as Tephrocybe palustris (Peck) Donk and Lyophyllum palustre (Peck) Singer.