Photos of and notes about some of the unusual mushrooms and slime molds found in our backyard. I started this page several weeks ago, so expect more additions soon. Special thanks to my wife, Maja, who inspired me to start looking and who spotted quite a few of the specimens photographed here.
A slender, needle-like mushroom growing on the forest floor. Shown here with an unusual bifurcated top:
Reportedly bitter, but also tiny enough to make it pointless to eat.
A small, delicate, translucent mushroom, often growing in clusters. Becomes darker as it matures:
Supposedly edible, although it is insubstantial and reportedly tastes bland.
An unusually-shaped mushroom. Juvenile specimens are rounded and thumb-like:
As the fungus matures, it develops a flattened, wrinkled surface on the top - but still doesn't have anything that could qualify as a well-delineated cap:
The mushroom is reportedly edible and has a distinctive, sweet flavor.
A rather unappetizing jelly-like mushroom with a leathery surface, growing on dead timber:
Another dimunitive, translucent mushroom growing on dead timber. Also known as "jelly tooth". Appears to be fairly rare; has a gel-like appearance with a spiny underside.
Some sources suggest it's edible, but it would be quite a feat to collect enough of it for any real culinary use.
A mystery fungus growing in flat circles on the stump of a felled tree. It appears to fit the genus phlebia. Probably not phlebia tremellosa, as it doesn't form shelves? It could be phlebia radiata, but it lacks the usual rusty coloration.
A fairly common but hard-to-spot fungus growing on the forest floor and on fallen trunks. Blends in with dry needles. Reportedly a delicacy in some cultures:
A moderately toxic mushroom with a rather unusual veiny, saddle-shaped cap. Reportedly can be rendered safe to eat by prolonged cooking or drying, but the wisdom of doing this seems questionable.
Somewhat similar to the hooded false morel. Unusual color, a very irregular cap, and a peculiar fluted stem. In older specimens, the stem turns grayish-black too. Sources vary on edibility:
Living up to its name. Supposedly edible:
Another unusually bright, irregularly-shaped jelly fungus that grows on dead trees. It is reportedly edible, but bland:
An unusual, fuzzy bracket fungi. Not much appears to be written about it.
Slime mold. Slime molds are not true fungi, but they're about as interesting - and somtimes difficult to tell apart. This one forms tiny, pink-colored spheres on tree stumps:
As the spheres mature, they turn brown:
No idea what this is. It was growing next to white foam-like slime molds (perhaps older fuligo septica).
You can reach the author at lcamtuf@coredump.cx.
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