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A Walk In the Woods - A Look at Fungi - Page 3


Cone Lover, Strobilurus trullisatus	Toothed Jelly Fungus, Pseudohydnum gelatinosum	(Unknown)
All these species have their own niche in the world and adaptations for survival. They may use debris from the dead and dying trees or perhaps pine cones as a growing medium. Others find the most improbable places to live their lives, growing out of the end of an old broken twig or adapting and growing in clusters on very thin stalks. With these adaptations they are able to compete with other other organisms in the struggle to survive.



	Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria
Stalks can help in the identification of mushrooms. Whether they are long and thin or thick and heavy they are usually also very strong, pushing up through some tremendously solid substances.

Perhaps the most fascinating part of the study of fungi involves the vast variety of unique fancy tops or caps. While some have admirable frilly finishes it is usually the colorful ones with strange patterns or curious assortment of shapes that generally catch the eye. For example, some mushrooms have long slender tops that can be three or four times longer than they are wide and stand solidly together.
	Plicatura nivea (no common name)


Shaggy-mane Mushroom, Coprinus comatus	Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria


Blackening Brittlegill, Russula nigricans
Other rather strange looking members of the fungus family resemble peculiar blobs instead of the stereotypical mushroom. Some can spread up to 10 inches or more while others appear almost insignificant except for the bright colours which give them away.
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	Mushrooms are strange and wonderful with odd looking shapes and fantastic colours. They can look like white blobs on black and white sticks (left), or a purple opening flower (below left) or a catcher’s mitts (below right). Amazing shapes indeed.
White Helvella, Helvella crispa
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Sarcodon imbricatum, (no common name)	White Chanterelle, Cantherellus subalbidus
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Toothed Jelly Fungus, Pseudohydnum gelatinosum	Elfin's Saddle, Helvella lacunosa
The two mushrooms above further show the diversity of these organisms. The white mushroom is similar in colour to a drop of plain white acrylic paint with no markings at all while the black specimen resembles a rolled up piece of black paper.
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Orange Peel Fungus, Aleuria aruantia

You might easily spot this orange-coloured mushroom, a bright species that likes to grow along pathways and roadsides.

		These last two images further demonstrate the diversity of fungi. The one on the left is the edible Lobster Mushroom. In reality it is a parasite mushrooms and feeds on other mushrooms which give it its cooked lobster colour.
Lobster Mushroom, Hypomyces lactifluorum

On the right however is a Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria, a member of the most poisonous groups in North America. With this in mind, it should be mentioned that only those with expertise in mushroom collecting should consider eating any member of these amazing organisms.
		Fly Agaric, Amanita muscaria

« Back to A Look at Fungi - Page 2

Also at the Inn
		Photo Tip - Getting Close with a Mirror Mushrooms are tricky to photograph, but this little photo tip might help or give you an idea or two.

		Understanding Mushrooms Mushrooms are the fleshy parts of fungi and seem to pop up in a large variety of conditions. In this article you'll find out about stipes and gills, pores, spores and more.

	_	At-A-Glance Guide to Fungi What's that mushroom? Check out our At-A-Glance guide!

Our Collection of Walks
			_
A Look at Ferns	_	A Look at Mosses		A Look at Fungi
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A Look at Lichens		A Look at Rushes and Sedges		A Look at Shrubs
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A Look at Poisonous Plants		A Look at Plant Diversity		A Look at Edible Plants


		A Touch of Grass

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