fun with fungi

this is my contribution to #FungiFriday by @ewkaw

Artomyces pyxidatus crown-tipped coral is a species well worth learning. they are delicious and fairly common. though they don't grow in large clusters once you find one there are likely to be many more nearby.

be sure to note that it is growing on wood. some of the Ramaria coral that grow on the ground look similar and may or may not be edible. there are several species that are very difficult to positively identify and a couple of them should only be recommended to those who prefer spending their day sitting on the toilet.

personally that is not my idea of a good day so i photograph the ones growing on the ground and only pick young fresh coral that grow directly on wood. they should be crisp to brittle. if you hear a little snap when you pick them you know you've got the good stuff

oak leaves in the autumn

i believe these little gems are a species of the genus Mycena which in Greek means fungi. my best guess is Mycena inclinata , clustered bonnet but i have my doubts

it could be another species of Mycena
which is a large genus that requires microscopic analysis to make positive identification. of special note, there are several species that glow in the dark.i remember as a kid finding some really cool bioluminescent fungi but i didn't know anything about them back then.

earlier this year a Mycena sp. was discovered growing on a living frog in India, astounding mycologists around the world. check it out: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377805302_Mushroom_Sprouting_out_of_a_Living_Frog
and here:
https://www.livescience.com/animals/frogs/why-is-a-mushroom-growing-on-a-frog-scientists-dont-know-but-it-sure-looks-weird

i am not sure but from a distance i think i saw these tiny ballerinas dancing on the twigs. of course they froze as soon as they spied me coming.

i tried waiting around to see how long they could hold out before they had to regain their balance but they outlasted me..

one of them whispered in my ear that they prefer living up in the trees but they all had to parachute down during a storm. that's why i call them twig parachutes. but their real name is Marasmiellus ramealis

this magnificent mauve mushroom is a new one to me. i love its color, shaped and shaggy cap. it may not be too common because i have never seen any before and my first attempts at identifying it did not yield anything promising. this year has been a very good one for species you don't see very often

i am always happy to fill my basket with known edible mushrooms but it is special to discover such unexpected and delightful fungi such as this one. it keeps the fun in fungi