We had perfect weather and a perfectly wonderful group of inquiring naturalists hopeful of finding some interesting fungi. Santo Curro was our guide for the morning. Steve Rock indicated in an e-mail to me that he predicted we wouldn't find much as he just checked out Sylvan Glen where he found nothing. I was hopeful we could do better than nothing - and I suppose we did - by just a few. The most exciting discoveries, however, were of an assortment of teeny, tiny, medium and large-sized frogs and toads! Here is the list of fungi recorded:

Gilled Mushrooms: Amanita fulva; Clitocybe trullaeformis; Pluteus cervinus; Pluteus thomsonii; Psathyrella hydrophila; Russula sp.; Tricholomopsis platyphylla

Boletes: Boletus sp.

Polypores and Stereums: Ganoderma applanatum; Trametes versicolor; Trichaptum biforme; Stereum ostrea

A couple of days before our walk, Friday, a friend who told me about a huge orange mushroom growing on her lawn. She said she asked her landscaper to forgoe mowing her grass this weekend, so that I could take a look at the mystery mushroom and photograph it. Since she hadn't looked at the underneath to see if the mushroom had pores or gills, I thought to myself that I was likely either a Laetiporus sulphureus (the 'Chicken Mushroom') or Omphlotus olearius (the 'Jack-o-lantern'). When I arrived at her property I saw there was a stump with two huge Ganoderma applanatum (the 'Artist Conk'), the lawn was liberally sprinkled with Panaeolus foenisecii, and in the distance was a huge orange flower blooming on the ground. It was the Omphalotus olearius! Not only was it in peak condition for a photo, but it was fruiting earlier than I usually see this species ( from late August onward). However, after looking up the information in my field guide, I discovered that it does occasionally fruit in July as well.
I telephoned my friend, Maria, to tell her to check it out at night and see if she could detect an eerie greenish glow coming from this early summer Jack-o-lantern. Later she informed me that it did indeed light itself up. Also, she said it was gradually disappearing as animals and other critters were feasting on its 'petals.'

This is a good time to point out to novices that just because other animals can eat a particular mushroom, doesn't mean that it is edible for humans. This mushroom, strangely confused even by self-described experienced mushroom foragers with yellow chanterelles, causes severe gastrointestinal problems that will put you in the hospital for a few days or so if you make a meal of it. It is awfully pretty though, isn't it!

How does Omphalotus olearius differ from Cantharellus cibarius?
Omphalotus grows on wood - Cantharellus cibarius grows on the ground.
Omphalotus grows in clumps - Cantharellus cibarius grows as individual unattached mushrooms.
Omphalotus has gills - Cantharellus cibarius has forked vein-like spore-bearing surfaces.

Click on each photo to see a larger version.

Dianna