Tiny perfection - Lichenomphalia

A macro shot of a tiny mushroom growing on a tree stump at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park last September 27th. This was towards the end of fungi season and I remember that this was one of just a handful of fungi that I found that day. The few odds and ends that I came across were growing right along the edge of the trail, so the sunlight reached them very nicely.

Once again, I am turning to a great online resource - Doug (dougwaylett). I have looked on several websites for information on Lichenomphalia, but anything I found was far too technical for me to understand. Doug has explained more simply how this little beauty is both a Lichen and a Mushroom. Hope you don't mind, Doug!

"Lichenomphallia umbellifera 'Lichen Agaric/Mushroom Lichen' is a fungus/lichen that is almost always found growing on a rotting log that is coated with algae. Lichenomphallia is a genus of lichenized Basidomycetes or club fungi which has spores produced on club-shaped basidia. The lichen fungus resembles a mushroom and the algae are concentrated in special tissues or lobes at the base of the fruiting body. This plant is found in both books on Lichens and books on Mushrooms usually under the genus Omphalina." Doug Waylett.

Thanks so much, Tatiana (ressaure) for the ID - Lichenomphalia.