Xerula radicata (Oudemansiella radicata)
I have been watching these mushrooms come and go for at least two weeks, but I have never found a good, unchewed on specimen. I finally gave up and just collected these and studied them. They have been growing on and off around an old beech stump. It is notable for its long tap root.
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Xerula radicata (Oudemansiella radicata)
Type: GilledCollection date: 09/28/2008
Name: Xerula radicata (Oudemansiella radicata)
Common Name:
Description: I have observed this mushroom growing around a beech stump for 2 or 3 weeks. I have been waiting for a good specimen – something likes it and eats it as soon as it comes up. It is a tall brown mushroom. The gills are white and widely spaced. The cap looks wet and glistening. The stem is very long and woody, there is a long tap root.
Edibility: Edible/inedible depends on who you ask
Color: Brown
Size: 5 to 15cm
Cap type: Convex
Gills: Notched Attachment to no attachment
Stem type: Tapering Upward
Flesh: white
Texture: Flesh fibrous
Veil: none
Ring: none
Volva: none
Mycelium:
Spore color: White,cream,yellowish
Habitat: Grows in woods
Habitat2: Grows on the ground attached to wood
Habitat3: Well Rotted Beech
Spore Print
Field Notes
Note: 09/29/2008 Couple of small ones left : 54-80°F : DryCoprinus micaceus
This little mushroom sprouted up on the root ball of a downed Shagbark Hickory. In the pictures to the right it is the smaller mushroom. The cap is about 1/2 inch across and the stem is several times that long. The notable thing about this mushroom is the inky black gills.
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Coprinus micaceus
Type: GilledCollection date: 09/27/2008
Name: Coprinus micaceus
Common Name: Glistening Inkcap
Description: Small mushroom. Brown convex cap with black gills. Plain white stem about twice as long as cap is wide. Flesh is white. Growing in a group. Found growing on the wood in the rootball of a fallen Shagbark Hickory.
Edibility: Suspect/Unknown
Color: Brown
Size: Less than 5cm
Cap type: Convex
Gills: Barely Attached
Stem type: Equal
Flesh: white non-discoloring
Texture: Flesh fibrous
Veil: none
Ring: none
Volva: none
Mycelium: brown
Spore color: Purplish to Black
Habitat: Grows in woods
Habitat2: Grows on wood
Habitat3: Hickory
Spore Print
Field Notes
Note: 09/28/2008 These mushrooms are now not much more than a black mess. They appeared one day and were gone the next. : 55-80°F : DryNote: 10/12/2008 New ones sprouting up after last rain. : 54-85°F : Moist
Note: 10/14/2008 A new crop is out today : 55-80°F : Dry
Armillaria gallica
I saw this mushroom yesterday coming up around the base of a couple beech trees and just thought it was the normal honey mushrooms I have been seeing. But on closer inspection it was a different variety. the major difference is that these have a bulbous base to the stem and the Armillaria mellea have a tapered base. These were also growing at the base of beech trees and the other preferred oaks. These mushrooms are also said to glow in the dark. I will have to check it out.
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Armillaria gallica
Type: GilledCollection date: 09/25/2008
Name: Armillaria gallica
Common Name: Honey Mushroom
Description: This honey mushroom differs from the Armillaria mellea variety in that the base of the stem is bulbous. The mushroom is brown with a scaly top. The gills run down the stem and it has a fleshy ring. The spore print in white.
Edibility: Edible with caution
Color: Brown
Size: 5 to 15cm
Cap type: Umbilicate
Gills: Running Down Stalk
Stem type: Club-Shaped
Flesh: white
Texture: sort of dry
Veil: partial-membranous
Ring: membranous
Volva: none
Mycelium: black
Spore color: white
Habitat: Grows in woods
Habitat2: Grows on wood
Habitat3: At base and under Beech
Field Notes
Note: 09/24/2008 Saw them growing at the base of two different beech trees (see picture) : 56-85°F : DryNote: 09/25/2008 Spotted them first yesterday and there are two different patches both under beech trees : 55-85°F : Dry
Note: 09/27/2008 These are coming up more all the time : 57-80°F : Dry
Note: 09/28/2008 The animals have found these and they are disappearing quickly. : 55-80°F : Dry
Note: 09/29/2008 All gone : 54-80°F : Dry
Note: 09/30/2008 A few new ones : 52-71°F : A little rain .12 inch
Note: 10/01/2008 New ones scattered over woods – not many in one place though. All under beech. : 43-69°F : Damp
Note: 10/03/2008 Noticed a few of these today : 40-68°F : Dry
Note: 10/04/2008 Still a few coming on under beech trees. : 40-70°F : Dry
Note: 10/05/2008 Few coming up under beeches. : 46-76°F : Dry
Note: 10/06/2008 A few still coming up under beeches : 55-75°F : Dry
Mycena haematopus
This is a delicate little mushroom I found covering a well rotted log. Its distinctive color and the fact that the stem bleeds when picked make it an easy identification. When you pick the mushroom the base of the stem exudes a blood red liquid. It is a small mushroom, about 1-3 cm wide with a stem 5-10 cm long. It usually grows in clusters on the log. See the mythology surrounding this mushroom in Tom Volks entry below.
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Mycena haematopus
Type: GilledCollection date: 09/17/2008
Name: Mycena haematopus
Common Name: Blood-Foot Mushroom
Description: This little mushroom was found on a well-rotted log on the ground, its favorite habitat. Its distinctive color, a dull blood red, and its bleeding root make it easy to identify. When you pick the mushroom the root often exudes a blood red liquid. As with all mycena is it small with the cap being 1 to 3 cm with a conic shape. The stem is longer than the cap is wide. Often growing in clumps.
Edibility: Unknown
Color: Red, Redish, Pink
Size: Less than 5cm
Cap type: Conical
Gills:
Stem type: Stem longer than cap diameter
Flesh: Flesh exudes colored latex
Texture:
Veil:
Ring:
Volva:
Mycelium:
Spore color: White,cream,yellowish
Habitat: Grows in woods
Habitat2: Grows on wood
Habitat3:
Field Notes
Note: 10/25/2008 A few more popped up because of the rain : 35-57°F : Damp – over 1” rain yesterday lastArmillaria mellea
This mushroom appeared all over the forest after a fall rain. It grows on the ground attached to underground roots and next to old stumps. In several places, it is right next to Jack O Lantern mushrooms. Something likes them because as soon as they reach maturity, they get eaten. Whatever does it is not very neat, there are always remnants laying around. They vary in color from yellow to dull brown. The stem is tapered with a prominent ring on the mature mushrooms. They usually grow in clumps. They are supposedly edible but have been known to cause intestinal distress, so I will leave them alone. Their spore print is white.
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Armillaria mellea
Type: GilledCollection date: 09/16/2008
Name: Armillaria mellea
Common Name: Honey Mushroom
Description: This mushroom came up all over the woods after a fall rain. It is golden yellow to brown and grows both on the ground and one/near stumps. It has a prominent ring and the base is tapered. It usually grows in clumps.
Edibility: Edible with caution
Color: Yellow to brown
Size: 5 to 15cm
Cap type: Convex
Gills: Running Down Stalk
Stem type: Ring on Stem Tapering Downward
Flesh: white
Texture: Flesh fibrous
Veil: partial-persistent
Ring: collarlike top
Volva: none
Mycelium:
Spore color: White,cream,yellowish
Habitat: Grows in woods
Habitat2: Grows on the ground/on wood
Habitat3: Oak Beech Hickory Maple
Field Notes
Note: 09/18/2008 The honey mushrooms continue to come up and get eaten : 88-53°F : dryNote: 09/22/2008 The honey mushrooms continue to come up and get eaten. I rarely now find an undisturbed patch. : 55-82°F : Dry
Note: 09/23/2008 No new batches – maybe this batch is done. : 57-85°F : Dry
Note: 10/12/2008 Some new ones after the last rain : 54-85°F : Moist
Note: 10/14/2008 The ones coming up yesterday have been eaten already. : 55-80°F : Dry
Note: 10/15/2008 A few coming up : 62-80°F : Dry