Omphalotus illudens
The Jack O Lantern is a good mushroom to be familiar with. It looks a lot like chanterelle mushrooms. The major difference is that the Jack O Lantern has true gills. It is also poisonous and can cause severe gastro-intestinal distress. It grows on dead wood but these appeared to be growing out of the ground like chanterelles. Unlike the chanterelle it also grows in large groups and like many mushrooms it can grow very fast. The mushrooms in the pictures to the right sprang up within a 24 hour period. The whole bunch weighed almost a full pound. I will have to admit I was very disappointed they were not real chanterelles. I found it in the same general area as I had found chanterelles. The second picture has a golf ball in the picture for reference.
All the descriptions of this mushroom tell of how it glows green in the dark. Having seen foxfire on many occasions, I put it to the test. My son and I took one of the mushrooms into a basement room, turned out the lights and waited. After about ten minutes, we both could see a faint and I mean faint green glow. It was most noticeable when I picked up the mushroom and moved it around. I have to say it was not near as bright as foxfire.
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Omphalotus illudens
Type: GilledCollection date: 08/27/2008
Name: Omphalotus illudens
Common Name: Jack O Lantern
Description: This is a bright orange mushroom that looks very much like chanterelle mushrooms except that it has true gills.
Edibility: Poisonous/Suspect
Color: Orange
Size: 5 to 15cm
Cap type: Funnel Shaped
Gills:
Stem type: Stem longer than cap diameter
Flesh: pale orange
Texture:
Veil:
Ring:
Volva:
Mycelium:
Spore color: White,cream,yellowish
Habitat: Grows in woods
Habitat2: Grows on wood
Habitat3:
Field Notes
Note: 09/18/2008 The third blush of these mushrooms is appearing. : 88-53°F : dryNote: 09/22/2008 It looks like the last of these are starting to rot. Unless more come up again. : 55-82°F : Dry
Note: 09/23/2008 I thought these were finally done but saw a new patch today. : 57-85°F : Dry
Note: 09/28/2008 I thought these were done but a new patch has flowered. : 55-80°F : Dry
Note: 09/30/2008 The new ones are dying back now : 52-71°F : A little rain .12 inch
Note: 10/01/2008 Three new batches came up : 43-69°F : Damp
Note: 10/03/2008 The new ones are mature now. : 40-68°F : Dry
Note: 10/09/2008 The rain prompted some new ones to come up next to a stump : 55-65°F : Moist (1 inch of rain the last two
Note: 10/23/2008 Just when I think these are done another shows up : 40-65°F : Dry
Note: 10/25/2008 The one is getting bigger. : 35-57°F : Damp – over 1” rain yesterday last
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When I started into the woods this afternoon, I was immediately confronted with a big new mushroom right next to my trail. It was bright orange and looked just like a big batch of morels. Since I had just started my hike I left them.&n...
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Earlier today I took the main trail and noted how big the Jack O Lantern mushrooms had gotten. There are so many of them that their smell can be detected a good 20 foot away also. After success of the experiment last week to see...