Slimy Woodland Mushrooms but Oh, So Pretty

Instead of napping (Alistair's choice), he and I are compiling a Gael Glen Farm Mushroom Journal of all the fancy fungi we have encountered on the farm. Maybe going on mushroom finding expeditions will be our thing.

We are still very much amateur mycologists but our best guess at this blue beauty is either Stropharia caerulea or Stropharia aeruginosa. A microscope is needed tell the difference between these two by looking at the sterile cells on the edges of the gills. In Stropharia aeruginosa the sterile cells are capitate (ending in a distinct compact head) and lack refractive contents, while in Stropharia caerulea they are widely fusiform (tapering at both ends) and contain yellowish, refractive inclusions.  I have no idea whether the cells are capitate or fusiform but they certainly look yellowish to me in the cross-section of the youngest specimen we could find.

This mushroom is supposedly edible but there is no way it will be making its way onto our dinner plates any time soon!  Besides, when we do not have to allocate time for an afternoon nap, we have plenty of time for making dinner with foods we are positive are safe to eat.