Mycena meliigena is a very small mushroom that appears on the cracks of holm oak black bark under really wet environment. The thin stipe emerges horizontal from the trunk but it turns to vertical to hold an haemispherical, 4-8 mm diameter cap with separated grills that wave the cap edge. This is a delicate, violet color mushroom.
In wet and not so cold winter days, Mycena meliigena grows suddenly in big number from the bark, often amongst lichens and mosses, not from the wood. Every oak holm in a forestry area may have hundreds of them. However, beauty is ephemeral. As soon as wetness is out, Mycena meliigena disappears as well.
[photos Jordi Badia]