Mycena leaiana
This little orange mushroom caught my attention for two reasons. One it is bright orange and is visible from a ways off. Two, it was growing on the same beech log that just last week had yielded a bounty of oyster mushrooms. One of the most striking things about the mushroom was that it stained my fingers orange when I picked it. It is also very rubbery and hard to pick. The first picture does not give a good idea of its size since it is of a small limb. That little clump of mushrooms is only about 2 1/2 inches across all together. The biggest cap is less than 1 inch across.
The guide books say it is probably ok to eat but no one has tried it. I would hate to see your mouth after you ate it, if it stained your mouth like it stains your hands. The other day I was noticing the squirrels had been busy on the black walnuts – I wonder if the black walnuts stain their teeth black like they do my fingers.
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Mycena leaiana
Type: GilledCollection date: 08/28/2008
Name: Mycena leaiana
Common Name:
Description: This is a small orange mushroom that caught my attention because it sprang up on what I call my oyster log right after the oyster mushrooms quit fruiting. The oyster log is a large beech. It is also notable in that it is very dry. When I got a specimen the orange came off on my fingers and stained them.
Edibility: Unknown
Color: Orange
Size: Less than 5cm
Cap type: Convex, Shield Shaped
Gills:
Stem type: Stem longer than cap diameter, no volva
Flesh: Flesh exudes colored (orange) latex
Texture:
Veil:
Ring:
Volva:
Mycelium:
Spore color: White,cream,yellowish
Habitat: Grows in woods
Habitat2: Grows on wood
Habitat3:
Field Notes
Note: 09/27/2008 I see these scattered throughout the woods on dead logs : 57-80°F : DryNote: 09/28/2008 Still showing up all over the place. : 55-80°F : Dry
Note: 10/09/2008 These have been growing on and off with the moisture for a couple of weeks : 55-65°F : Moist (1 inch of rain the last two
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Not much happened on my walk though the woods today. I did stop and photograph a small bright orange mushroom a Mycena Leaiana. and I did see the largest animal I have seen in the woods -- another human. I encountered an about 18 year ...