Rutland MA
8/2/05

Tall and graceful.
Rooting Shank
Xerula radicata

Thanks to Ellen N. and her confirmation of my ID.  She also provided the current name.  A bit of an improvement over Oudemansiella radicata.  I also found the above common name on the Internet.

Bill Yule writes that the current name in vogue with the Mycologists is Xerula furfuracea.  When Mycologists start fighting over a name it is best to call it Rooting Shank until the dust settles :o)
 

Reminds me of Platterful but the stem is about 9" high!  That cap on top measures 5" in diameter.

Top of the cap

A few things on top but no scales like on Amanita.  No partial vale.  No bulb at the base.

The bottom of the stem tapers down and ends in a cut off root.  I tried to dig deeper on the second specimen but got no better results.

Top of stem

The pink color is the sun shining through the mushroom cap.

White gills with white spore print.

Section through stem

The second specimen contorted its cap into a triangle.

I would estimate the cap on this one to larger then 5".

August 6 update. 
I found a dying young specimen that had about a 2" diameter cap.  I dug it up carefully and think that I got most of the root.

Placed on a rock to photograph.

As you see, the root is almost as long as the stem.