Fauna
Fungus

Pixie's Parasol

Mycena interrupta

Also known as Cyan Parasol

Gleaming like tiny neon jewels against damp rainforest logs, these delicate fungi produce brilliant cyan caps coated in a sticky gelatinous film. Found exclusively in Southern Hemisphere cool-temperate forests, they break down decaying wood to return vital nutrients to the rainforest floor. As the fruiting body matures, the electric blue hue slowly fades to pale whitish-blue, giving way to white spores dispersed on humid breezes.

Bright BlueSaprotrophicRainforest
Pixie's Parasol reference1 / 7
(c) Alan Rockefeller, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alan Rockefeller · cc-by
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyDecaying hardwoods, Rotting eucalyptus wood, Fall leaf litter
Predators
  • Slugs
  • Snails
  • Fungal gnats
ThreatsDeforestation, severe wildfire, habitat fragmentation
HabitatsCool temperate rainforests, wet sclerophyll forests
Life spanFruiting bodies last 2–5 days; mycelium persists for years
Classification
  1. OrderAgaricales
  2. FamilyMycenaceae
  3. GenusMycena
  4. SpeciesMycena interrupta
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Many wild mushrooms have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild fungi based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Spotting: Search wet mossy logs in damp eucalyptus or Southern Beech rainforests during autumn.
  • Lighting: Use diffusers to capture the translucent blue cap texture without intense reflections.
  • Preservation: Avoid touching caps to prevent removing the delicate sticky coating.
Related species
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