Laccaria amethystina - the Amethyst Deceiver - a solitary mushroom occasionally growing as scattered specimens or in small dense clumps or tufts (caespitose), is associated with oak trees (Quercus) and beech trees (Fagus) in temperate deciduous or mixed deciduous coniferous forests of eastern North America and Europe.  It grows under species of Quercus in Central America and northern South America.

It can be distinguished from the other North American "purple" Laccaria (L. amethysteo-occidentalis and L. vinaceobrunnea) by its small size and stature, bright grayish purple basidiomata that fade directly to buff, and globose, coarsely echinulate basidiospores.