While walking in the hills near my house, I spotted this beautiful specimen known scientifically as Laccaria amythestina. Since it had been sprinkling lightly, the mushroom was well hydrated and still had droplets of water on its mushroom cap. These mushrooms aren't only beautiful, but this specific species is important for the establishment of young trees thanks to it's "ectomycorrhizal" mode of life. They are utilized in forest nursery practices for this purpose Another plus is that they are edible and contain significant quantities of beta-glucans, a compound well researched for it's medicinal qualities.