As a result of the frequent rains, the woods were rich in mushrooms. Ground, woody knolls and downed logs were decorated by the scarlets and golds of countless Waxy Caps (Hygrophorus species), bright jellies, the showy white forms of Amanita virosa and the bold yellow caps of many Fly Agarics with their scattering of pale patches. A wide variety of fungi were gathered, but we had to limit the number in discussion.
We discussed the dark, funnel-shaped mushrooms called Horn of the Plenty Craterellus cornucopioides. These excellent edibles usually grow in tight, upright clusters under hardwoods. The body of each mushroom is very thin-fleshed with wavy, down-turned margin .The inner surface of the “funnel” is dark grey-brown to almost black. There are no gills on the exterior fertile area .That surface is smooth to slightly wrinkled or veined. It is ashy-gray in color. The spore print is white. Another edible mushroom, C. Fallax is nearly identical, but has an ochre to ochre-orange spore print.
The Yellow-Orange Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria var fomosa has been prolific this September . It is a ”flashy” mushroom with an orange-yellow cap that is sometimes 6” across. The cap surface is decorated with a scattering of pale-yellow veil patches. Gills are pale cream. The sturdy white to pale yellow stem is circled by a whitish pendant ring and is often bulbous at its base where there are circling ridges of cottony or scaly material. Though beautiful, this is a poisonous mushroom containing toxic compounds.
A great edible, the Toothy Dentinum repandum has been fruiting vigorously the past few weeks. The Toothy has a chunky, irregular look and stands out well against beds of brown leaves and grass where it fruits. It is mychorrhizal with conifers and deciduous trees. We find it particularly with oaks. The cap surface is creamy-orange. The mushroom body is thick and brittle with inner cream-colored flesh. A cushion of pale spines lines underside of the cap
Many other mushrooms were gathered, as well.
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