Specimen AB#27 (Pestle Puffball)

I learned something very important and profound from this specimen...

it's a lot of fun to poke puffballs and see the spores shoot out. Yes, I admit to having some childish fun with my discoveries. If you can honestly say you would have done differently, you are a better person than I. 

Figure 1. Calvatia excipuliformis (side view)

Figure 2. Calvatia excipuliformis (topside)

Name: Calvatia excipuliformis

Family: Lycoperdaceae

Collection Date: 10/11/2011

Habitat:“Solitary, scattered, or in groups in pastures, exposed soil, open woods, etc.” (Arora, 1986).

Location: Hiram College Field Station

Description: “Fruiting body top-shaped or pear-shaped…prominent stemlike sterile base. Outer layer of peridium white to grayish or occasionally yellowish-brown” (Arora, 1986).

“Narrower spore case [than the giant puffballs] (3-10 cm broad)…plus a narrower and greatly elongated (stemlike) sterile base. Widespread in wooded and open areas” (Arora, 1986).

Collector: Andrew Burns

Key Used: Arora. D., (1986) Mushrooms Demystified 2^nd Edition, Ten Speeds Press, New York, NY

Keying Notes:

Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi… p.52

Lycoperdales & Allies (Puffballs and Earthstars)…677

1b. Fruiting body may rupture in starlike fashion but if so there is no separate spore case within…2

2b. Spore mass not containing peridioles…4

4b. Peridioles absent; spores produced in a single large chamber…5

5b. Spore mass becomes powdery with age…6

6b. Fruiting body above ground…7

7b. Spore mass does not have prominent veins running through it…8

8a. Sterile base present, often narrowed as a stemlike base beneath the spore case…9

9a. Fruiting body medium-sized to quite large, rupturing irregularly... Calvatia & Allies

Calvatia & Allies p.681

1b. Sterile base present…14

14b. Fruiting body without prominent warts…16

16b. Outer surface not bruising yellow…17

17b. Outer surface does not display red or reddish spots…18

18b. Spore mass ochre to brown, etc., but not purple…19

19b. Not as above…20

20a. Sterile base very prominent and elongated (up to 12 cm long) to form a stalklike base; spore case typically less than 8 cm broad and usually smaller in height than the sterile base… Calvatia excipuliformis

Correlating Links:

http://www.hiddenforest.co.nz/fungi/family/agaricaceae/lycop07.htm

http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?stat=BROWSE&query_src=photos_fungi_sci&where-genre=Fungi&where-taxon=Calvatia+excipuliformis&title_tag=Calvatia+excipuliformis

Specimen AB#26 (Pigskin Puffball)

I have to admit I was a little skeptical about picking this one up. A sloshing sloppy black mess inside a warty bubble of flesh isn't really my idea of beauty. But as you can probably guess by the fact that I'm identifying it in this blog, I picked it up. And so stuck in your wall we are. 

Figure 1. Bovista pila in all it's... 'glory'

Name: Bovista pila

Family: Lycoperdaceae

Collection Date: 10/11/2011

Habitat: “Grows in cultivated and manured soils as well as in grass and open woods” (Arora, 1986).

Location: Hiram College Field Station

Description: “[Fruiting body] 3-9 cm in diameter and attached to the ground by a small cord or ‘root.’ It has a dark brown to bronze mature spore case” (Arora, 1986).

Collector: Andrew Burns

Key Used: Arora. D., (1986) Mushrooms Demystified 2^nd Edition, Ten Speeds Press, New York, NY

Keying Notes:

Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi… p.52

Lycoperdales & Allies (Puffballs & Earthstars)…p. 677

1b. Fruiting body may rupture in starlike fashion but if so then there is no separate spore case within…2

2b. Spore mass not containing peridioles…4

4b. Peridioles absent…5

5b. Spore mass white when young and normally softening or becoming mushy as it darkens, then becoming powdery…6

6b. Not as above, fruiting body above ground, no internal stalk…7

7b. Spore mass without prominent veins or cords running through it…8

8b. Sterile base absent or rudimentary…10

10b. Fruiting body usually marble-to golfball-sized or occasionally as large as a baseball, usually rupturing through a pore or large mouth; peridium usually rather thin…p. 696, Bovista & Disciseda

1b. Outer layer of peridium not persistent, or if persistent then typically rupturing radially or forming a large mouth at top of spore case…2

2b. Fruiting body not brightly colored…3

3b. Fruiting body not buried…5

5b. Sterile base absent or rudimentary…6

6b. Fruiting body smooth or with small warts or granules when young…7

7b. Fruiting body usually rupturing through a large mouth or tear at maturity…8

8b. Fruiting body typically 3-9 cm broad, usually attached to the ground by a small cord or “root” when young…9

9a. Spore case typically dark brown to bronze-brown or coppery when mature; common in North America…Bovista pila

Correlating Links:

http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Bovista_pila.html

Specimen AB#11 (Twin Brown Caps)

I found this pair poking out from beneath a fallen log, looking for some open air to send out their spores.

Figure 1. Inocybe napipes peeking out to say hello

Name: Inocybe napipes

Family: Cortinariaceae

Collection Date: 10/04/2011

Habitat: “Solitary, scattered, or in small groups on ground in woods. Common in the fall and winter under oak and pine” (Arora, 1986).

Location: West Woods

Description: “Cap 2-8 cm broad when expanded…bell shaped when young, often expanding in age but retaining a prominent umbo…often somewhat browner in the center or in age. Gills close and crowded…finally turning brownish-gold or brown…veil absent” (Arora, 1986).

Collector: Andrew Burns

Key Used: Arora. D., (1986) Mushrooms Demystified 2^nd Edition, Ten Speeds Press, New York, NY

Keying Notes:

Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi… p.52

Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)…p. 58

1b. Spores forcibly discharged; gills exposed at maturity…2

2b. Spore print darker, brown…10

10b. Spore print some shade of brown, gray, or black…16

16b. Spore print not greenish or grayish-olive …19

19b. Spore print rusty brown, cinnamon brown…26

26b. Not growing on other mushrooms…27

27b. Stalk present; on wood or ground…30

30b. Not with above features…31

31b. Gills occasionally decurrent but usually not, veil present or absent (in this case absent)…   p. 396, Cortinariaceae

1a. Typically growing on wood; neither the gills nor the flesh lilac or violet…2

2b. Stalk well developed, central…3

3b. Spore print darker colored (including duller rusty brown or ochre brown)…4

4b. Fruiting body not red or wine-colored…5

5a. Veil absent…6

6b. Spore print not pinkish-cinnamon…25

25a. Odor spermatic or like green corn; spore print dull brown…p. 455, Inocybe

1b. Odor spermatic, fishy, like green corn, but not fragrant or fruity…5

5b. Stalk base not a variation of blue, green, or olive…6

6b. Cap has no white or creamy center…7

7b. No remnants of universal veil, stalk is not white…8

8b. No remnants of veil on either cap or stalk…9

9a. Stalk smooth…10

10b. No part of fruiting body is lilac or violet…11

11b. Cap is not white…12

12b. Cap not white, or pink, or red, or orange…13

13b. Not as above…15

15b. Cap brownish, but without overly prominent “nipple” at center…16

16b. Cap without fibrils, stalk not whitish at any point…17

17b. Stalk not any variation of pink…18

18b. Stalk not entirely pruinose…19

19b. Fruiting body medium-sized (cap usually at least 3 cm broad and stalk at least 5mm thick)…23

23b. Cap usually brown to dark brown or chestnut brown…24

24b. Stalk with small bulb... Inocybe nappies

Correlating Links:

http://mushroomobserver.org/6158

Specimen AB#5 (Scarlet Top)

I found this little devil out on our first collection day. Admittedly I was paying a bit more attention to the scenery than I should of, but then so was the mushroom I discovered. This one had picked out a perfect perch on an outcropping of rock, overlooking the beauty of the forest. I guess we both enjoyed sightseeing. 

Figure 1. Russula atropurpurea (side view)

Figure 2. Russula atropurpurea (topside)

Name: Russula atropurpurea

Family:  Russulaceae

Collection Date: 9/15/2011

Habitat:Found in forest of mixed hardwood and conifers. This particular specimen discovered on an outcropping of rock, growing on top of a slimy black film layer.

Location: Cleveland Metroparks - South Chagrin Reservation

Description: Cap 3.3 cm radially, dark red (borderline purple) with center darkening towards black. Gills white and flaring upward, making cap slightly convex with depression at center. Stalk 3 cm tall, white with scarlet tinge near base.

  

Collector: Andrew Burns

Key Used: Arora. D., (1986) Mushrooms Demystified 2^nd Edition, Ten Speeds Press, New York, NY

Keying Notes: 

Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi… p.52

Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)…p. 58

1b. Spores forcibly discharged; gills exposed at maturity…2

2a. Spore print white to buff, yellow…3

3b. Neither volva nor warts present…4

4b. Veil absent…6

6b. Gills usually platelike or bladelike…7

7b. Gills/flesh not exuding latex (milk or juice) when broken…8

8a. Cap usually plane to depressed at maturity; veil absent…p. 63, Russulaceae

1b. Latex absent…p. 83, Russula

1b. Fruiting body small to medium sized, cap not particularly hard, brightly colored…10

10b. Not as above…11

11b. Fruiting body not yellow-brown, ochre, or orange…12

12a. Cap 5-12 cm broad, typically dark red with a nearly blackish center; common under hardwoods in eastern North America… Russula atropurpurea (=R. krombholzii)

Correlating Links:

http://www.first-nature.com/fungi/russula-atropurpurea.php

Specimen AB#28 (Giant Earthtongue)

On this particular gathering extravaganza we had been excited because we discovered some tiny orange earthtongues; but a few steps later the woods stopped us as if to say "You ain't seen nothing yet." 

Figure 1. The massive twisted earthtongue Neolecta irregularis

Name: Neolecta irregularis

Family:  Neolectaceae

Collection Date: 10/11/2011

Habitat: “Widely scattered to gregarious or occasionally  tufted on ground, moss, or duff, usually under conifers; widely distributed” (Arora, 1986).

Location: Hiram College Field Station

Description: “Fruiting body 1-7 cm tall, clublike to very irregular (grooved, twisted, etc.)… fertile surface bright yellow or orange-yellow… flesh rather tough” (Arora, 1986).

  

Collector: Andrew Burns

Key Used: Arora. D., (1986) Mushrooms Demystified 2^nd Edition, Ten Speeds Press, New York, NY

Keying Notes:

Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi… p.52

Helotiales (Earthtongues)…p.865

1b. Fruiting body without a clearly differentiated, rounded to convex or wrinkled cap…4

4b. Flesh not gelatinous or rubbery…5

5b. Fruiting body erect…6

6b. Fruiting body without large internal chambers…7

7b. Fruiting body lighter, brighter colored…p. 868, Microglossum, Spathularia, & Allies

1b. Fruiting body not green…3

3b. “Head” absent…5

5b. Fruiting body lacking a sharply differentiated ‘head;’ not growing in water…8

8b. Fruiting body not pallid, ochre, or ‘dingy yellow,’ terrestrial…9

9a. Fruiting body bright yellow to orange…10

10b. Variable in shape (in this case twisted)…11

11a. Fruiting body very irregular in shape (lobed, forked, flattened, twisted, etc)…p. 871, Neolecta irregularis & others

Correlating Links: 

http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Mushroom/English/Meet/A-Z/Species/neolectairregularis.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neolecta

Specimen AB#18 (Forgettable Pholiota)

Regrettably I didn't have my own name for this little one. Its title comes from the fact that it is part of a larger group with a LOT of family resemblance and its easy to forget which is which. But I can say for certainty I won't be forgetting this particular fungus. Walking along through the west woods it showed up near the path with a small army of its brothers and sisters. 

Figure 1. A bit dull, but a nice detail shot of Pholiota alnicola

Figure 2. Another shot better showing off the vibrant color

Name: Pholiota alnicola

Family:  Strophariaceae

Collection Date: 10/04/2011

Habitat: “In groups or clusters on rotting logs and stumps, wood chips, etc; widely distributed.” (Arora, 1986).

Location: West Woods

Description: “Cap 3-8 cm broad, convex; surface viscid or dry, smooth or with a few veil remnants at margin, yellow to ochraceous-tawny; margin often waxy. Gills close, adnexed or notched, yellowish becoming rusty-brown or cinnamon-brown. Stalk 4-15 cm long, 0.4-1 cm thick. Spore print rusty-brown” (Arora, 1986).

 

Collector: Andrew Burns

Key Used: Arora. D., (1986) Mushrooms Demystified 2^nd Edition, Ten Speeds Press, New York, NY

Keying Notes: 

Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi… p.52

Agaricales (Gilled Mushrooms)…p. 58

1b. Spores forcibly discharged; gills exposed at maturity…2

2b. Spore print not white, buff, yellow, orange or lilac…10

10b. Spore print some shade of orange, brown (including cinnamon brown)…16

16b. Spore print not greenish…19

19a. Spore print chocolate brown…20

20b. Gills free to adnexed, adnate, or occasionally decurrent… 21

21b. Gills/cap not auto-digesting at maturity…22

22b. Not as above; neither veil nor annulus present…23

23a. Cap brightly colored (yellow, green, orange, etc)… p. 367, Strophariaceae

1a.Spore print dull brown to cinnamon-brown or rusty brown… p.384, Pholiota

1b. Not typically growing in ashes…3

3b. Cap not blue or blue-green…4

4b. Growing on the ground…15

15b.Not found growing in deep moss, bog, or muck…16

16b. Lower stalk not possessing distinct scales…19

19a. Cap yellow to bright ochre or orange when fresh…20

20b. Cap not viscid…22

22a. Fruiting body staining orange-brown when bruised…p.388 Pholioto malicola group & others

After review of some of the varieties in this group it was settled that this particular specimen is Pholiota alnicola

Correlating Links:

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/pholiota_alnicola.html

Specimen AB#16 (Oven Mitt)

I was rather perplexed by this particular fungus. As I walked past it looked as if a pancake was growing out of the side of a fallen tree.

Figure 1. Ischnoderma resinosum looking very much like a golden brown pancake

Figure 2. From the underside Ischnoderma resinosum looks like a thick oven mit

Name: Ischnoderma resinosum

Family:  Fomitopsidaceae

Collection Date: 10/04/2011

Habitat: “Solitary or several together (often overlapping) on dead hardwoods and conifers, fruiting mostly in the summer and fall; widely distributed but not particularly common” (Arora, 1986).

Location: West Woods

Description: “Fruiting body annual; shelflike or bracketlike, watery at first and often exuding droplets, especially near margin of cap, becoming tougher and drier in age. Cap 5-30 cm broad and 1-3 cm thick, fan to kidney shaped or semicircular in outline; surface rough or velvety (like sandpaper) at first (but often nearly smooth in age), …color usually dark brown to blackish… flesh whitish to beige, tan, or brownish…becoming tough and corky in age. Pores minute, white or creamy, but often becoming brownish age…Stalk absent” (Arora, 1986).

 

 

Collector: Andrew Burns

Key Used: Arora. D., (1986) Mushrooms Demystified 2^nd Edition, Ten Speeds Press, New York, NY

Keying Notes:

Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi… p.52

Polypores & Bracket Fungi… p.549

1b. Spore bearing surface not composed of tubes, of if composed of tubes then the tubes forming a united layer (i.e. not discrete); fruiting body fleshy, tough, woody,etc…2

2b. Fruiting body knoblike, hooflike, bracketlike, shelflike, or crustlike; stalk absent, rudimentary, or attached to the side or top of cap; growing on wood or roots…4

4b. Pore surface exposed…5

5b. Pore surface not separable…6

6b. Fruiting body normally with a cap, but sometimes resupinate…7

7b. Spore bearing surface composed of a tube layer which forms minute pores…8

8b. Spore bearing surface with tubes (pores)…10

10a. Fruiting body annual (with only one tube layer), the cap soon dark brown, fruiting body tougher in age; pore surface whitish at first but aging or bruising darker (brownish); found on dead trees (logs, stumps, etc)… p.573, Ischnoderma resinosum

Correlating Links:

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/ischnoderma_resinosum.html 

Specimen AB#15 (Tree Veil)

Growing on the side of a tree right at eye-level, this gorgeous specimen caught my eye. 

Figure 1. Trichaptum biformis dressing the bark of a tree

Name: Trichaptum biformis

Family: Polyporaceae

Collection Date: 10/04/2011

Habitat: In groups, shelving masses, or overlapping tiers. Favors hardwood trees unlike close relative T. abietnus which is commonly found on conifers. 

Location: West Woods

Description: “Fruiting body shelflike or bracketlike, cap fan shaped…flesh very thin, tough, pale gray to brownish… Pores round to angular but often irregularly torn or toothlike; whitish to brownish but usually tinged bright lavender to purplish, especially toward cap margin…tubes very shallow… stalk absent” (Arora, 1986).

 

Collector: Andrew Burns

Key Used: Arora. D., (1986) Mushrooms Demystified 2^nd Edition, Ten Speeds Press, New York, NY

Keying Notes:

Major Groups of Fleshy Fungi… p.52

Polypores & Bracket Fungi…p.549

1b. Spore-bearing surface composed of tubes forming a united layer (i.e., not discrete); fruiting body fleshy, tough, woody, etc…2

2b. Fruiting body bracketlike, shelflike; stalk absent; growing on wood…4

4b. Pore surface exposed…5

5b. Pore surface not separable…6

6b. Fruiting body normally with a cap…7

7b. Spore-bearing surface comprised of a true tube layer which forms minute to fairly large pores or spore-bearing surface with deep, elongated, mazelike pockets or even gills or “teeth”…8

8b. Spore-bearing surface with tubes (pores), but the pores sometimes elongate or mazelike or breaking up to form small “teeth”…10

10b. Not with above features (but may have some of them); very common…11

11b. Fruiting body usually annual, small to medium-sized, if tough when fresh cap usually fairly thin and lacking a highly varnished surface crust…12

12b.Flesh white, yellowish, beige, light brown… 13

13b. Pores break up to form “teeth”…14

14b. Fruiting body not preceded by cup or saucerlike “nest”…15

15b. Fruiting body broader than 5mm…16

16b. Pore surface lavender or violet-tinged... p. 592, Trametes & Allies

1b. Not as above…2

2a. Pores typically violet or with a distinct violet tinge…3

3b. Pores tinged violet or lavender, cap thin and not reddish…8

8a. Found mainly on hardwoods, especially common in eastern North America… p.593, Trichaptum biformis

Correlating Links:

http://www.messiah.edu/Oakes/fungi_on_wood/poroid%20fungi/species%20pages/Trichaptum%20biforme.htm

Specimen AB#22 (Spiny Umbrella)

Name: Lepiotaceae acutesquamosa

Family: Agaricaceae

Collection Date: 10/11/2011

Habitat: Found growing beside path near rotting log

Location: Hiram College Field Station

Description: "Cap 2-7.5 cm broad, broadly convex to umbonate or plane at maturity; surface dry… covered with small, erect, pointed brown scales."
"Solitary, scattered, or in small groups in woods and in rich soil, widely distributed. Occasional in our area in the fall and winter". (Arora, 1986).

Collector: Andrew Burns

Key Used: Arora. D., (1986) Mushrooms Demystified 2^nd Edition, Ten Speeds Press, New York, NY

Keying Steps:

Major groups of fleshy fungi… p.52

Agarics… p.58

1b. Gills exposed at maturity…2

2a. Spore print white to buff, yellow, yellow-orange, or lilac tinged… 3

3b. Neither volva nor warts present (but cap and stalk may have scales or fibrils)…4

4a. Gills free and veil present; veil usually forming an annulus (ring) on stalk… 5

5b. Cap dry, stalk dry; gills tissue not divergent… p.293, Lepiotaceae

1a. Fruiting body medium-sized to large; stalk usually at least 6 mm thick; veil usually forming a distinct collarlike or sleevelike annulus (ring) on stalk which may or may not be thick, ragged, and double-edged… 2

2b. Scales and background of cap not white/yellow…3

3a. Cap often covered with pointed, often pyramidal warts…11

11b. Stalk with few if any scales (but underside of veil often has them); mainly found in eastern North America and the Southwest… p. 303, L. acutesquamosa

(Sharp Scaled Parasol)

Correlating Links:

http://morelmushroomhunting.com/lepiota_acutesquamosa.htm

http://www.mushroomthejournal.com/greatlakesdata/Taxa/Lepioacute1023.html