Tuesday, September 11, 2007

September Showers Bring... Mushrooms

The heavy rains that fell across New Jersey today brought a fresh crop of mushrooms. The photo above is the stump of a dogwood tree. It bears two different fungi.

The first, above, is Trametes versicolor, or Turkey Tail. That fungus has been growing on the stump for some time now, without much indication of disintegration. It seems remarkably durable.

I do not remember the second of the two being on the stump yesterday, so it probably sprouted today. I believe it is Hypholoma sublateritium, known as Brickcap. To me it resembles another species, H. capnoides, more than H. sublateritium, but H. capnoides grows on conifer rather than hardwood stumps.

There was also a stinkhorn elsewhere in the yard. This one looks a bit like a lobster claw. It may be the rudely-named Phallus rubicundus, or perhaps one of the Mutinus species. This is another new arrival; one of the sources I checked mentioned that stinkhorns are known for appearing very rapidly in the wake of rain.

No doubt more mushrooms will appear in the next few days. Feel free to argue with my identifications.