Anybody Seen My Focus?

An Unexpected Surprise: Monotropa hypopitys (Pinesap)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sat, 01 Jul 2017 20:45:00 +0000

June 23^rd. We’ve had almost 28 inches of rain this year; more than half our annual rainfall during a good year. The moisture has brought out some surprises, and this was one.

I was walking my usual trail. There’s an area where eastern fence lizards and anoles seem to gather in the spring. For some reason, I keep an eye on this short section of trail throughout the year, even after the lizards have disappeared for the season.

So… On this morning as I walked along, it was a…

shape ‘that didn’t fit’ that caught my attention. I knew immediately what it was: Pinesap (Monotropa hypopitys). Although I knew what it was, it was hard to believe that it was flowering here.

A closer view from the trail.

This is one of those occasions when I lie in the leaf litter to get better photos of the plant.

It was blooming at the base of a relatively steep slope in a predominantly hardwood forest.

Close-up views of the flowers.

I went back few days later to see if the stems had darkened at all.

They hadn’t.

These flowers were pale, which is typical of flowers early season flowers. Later in the year, the stalks would be red and the flowers a slightly deeper yellow with reddish tints on the flowers.

Monotropa hypopitys is distributed widely in North America. The plants are pale because they don’t produce chlorophyll; they obtain nutrients though mycorrhizal fungi with micorrhizal association with tree roots.

I’ve walked this trail for several years and know many individual plants by name. I’ve never seen Pinesap in this park before, which I why I believe the rainfall we’ve had this year is responsible for its blooming this year by providing good conditions for growth of the mycorrhzal fungus that feeds the plant. This particular location gets morning sun, but is shaded by large oak trees with a healthy layer of leaf litter. It is similar to other areas where I’ve seen Pinesap later in the season.

References:

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Monotropa hypopitys (Pinesap)

- Tom Volk’s ‘Fungus’ of the Month, October 2002. Monotropa uniflora (Ghost Plant, Indian Pipe)

- USDA Plant Database: Monotropa hypopitys

Close Encounter of the Armadillo Kind

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 23 Jun 2017 03:15:00 +0000

June 21, 2017. I was summoned by an announcement that there were some armadillos on the front patio. When I got there, I could see two. One was snuffling in the leaf litter for food.

The other gave me the only opportunity for a head shot.

I’ve had the opportunity to watch a couple of armadillos in the wild on a few occasions. On one occasion, I watched on burrow under a layer of pine needles in search of food. When it emerged from one pile of pine needles, it immediately burrowing into another pile.

As I watched these armadillos, I became aware of a third and then a forth. They were challenging to photograph. They were like little perpetual motion machines with their heads down as they searched for food.

I was afraid that I’d scare them off, so I circled around quietly and approached the other end of the patio. They were scampering back and forth across the patio, concentrating so intently on foraging that they seemed unaware of my presence and worked their way along the patio until…

a couple arrived at my feet. Even then they appeared unaware of my presence. Another one ran right up to my feet and seemed puzzled when it encountered an object in its path.

They worked there way around the corner, heads buried in the grass and leaf litter. Finally, when they ran out of promising foraging, they…

scampered off into the woods. It was an enchanting encounter. They seemed like such little free spirits.

I was surprised that I didn’t scare them. Then I wondered about their eyesight and did some reading. Turns out that they don’t have the greatest eyesight and use hearing and smell to locate food. It certainly wasn’t clear that they were using their hearing and sense of smell to warn them of potential danger in running right up to my feet. I nudged one gently with my foot. It made the strangest noise, a combination of grunt and a strangling sound, as it scampered a few feet away and stopped, seemingly bewildered. Apparently they don’t have many natural predators.

Armadillos have been moving north in Georgia. The map in the reference below shows their range as being limited to the southern third of the state. They reached our county, Walton County, about two-thirds up the state in the last few years. We saw the first one – an adult = on our property at the north end of the county, last year. This is the first time we’ve seen youngsters.

Armadillos are unique in usually producing litters of four identical young of the same sex.

While they are cute, armadillos may be infected with Mycobacterium leprae, the bacterium that causes leprosy. In fact, M. leprae can’t be grown in artificial media and was cultivated in the footpads of the nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) that have a lower body temperature that is favored by the organism. The risk of contracting leprosy from armadillos is low because 95% of the population is not susceptible to leprosy. However, there is a small risk of contracting the disease from handling infected armadillos. A good rule-of-thumb, common to encounters with any wildlife, is to stay safe and enjoy them from a distance.

References:

- University of Georgia Museum of Natural History: Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus)

- Sharma R, Singh P, Loughry W, Lockhart J, Inman W, Duthie MS, et al. Zoonotic Leprosy in the Southeastern United States. Emerg Infect Dis. 2015;21(12):2127-2134.

Calycanthus floridus (Eastern Sweetshrub)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 05 Jun 2017 23:52:00 +0000

March 2^nd - . Eastern Sweetshrub (Calycanthus floridus) are among the earliest plants to flower. At Fort Yargo State Park, shrubs grow in two areas on east-facing slopes above the reservoir. Shrubs are quite small, ranging from two-to-six feet tall.

The first location is south of the Fishing Area, in an area that receives early morning sun. Shrubs in the southernmost location bloom first.

I spotted the first buds on March 2^nd, and the first flowers on March 27^th. Flowers don’t have the ‘traditional’ petals and sepals; the maroon structures are called tepals.

The early flowers in this area, that have some sun exposure, have a brownish tone.

Flowers in more shaded areas in this southern location are pink. The tepals on these flowers are flat and thin, like ribbons.

Shrubs also grow in a shaded area north of the Fishing Area.

The tepals on flowers in this location are more fleshy and a deeper maroon color.

Soon after the earliest plants had bloomed, I was on the lookout for signs of developing seed capsules I did spot a couple, but these didn’t develop any further. I haven’t found any more developing this year.

In 2015, however, several capsules developed to maturity.

The capsules continued to swell, and…

reach their final size by November, and then…

matured to a brown color. These may persist on shrubs through winter until spring, when they fall.

References:

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Calycanthus floridus

- USDA Plant Database: Calycanthus floridus (Eastern Sweetshrub)

Panellus stipticus (Bitter Oyster)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sat, 27 May 2017 17:15:00 +0000

March 8^th. I hadn’t been checking the Lenzites betulina (Gilled Polypore) log each week, so I had missed the early stages of another fungus growing on the log: Panellus stipticus (Bitter Oyster) mushrooms. Typically, they may be found growing in overlapping clusters on dead wood.

These were quite beautiful, with a sculptured, cracked-scaly appearance characteristic of old specimens. The caps were semicircular, 1-to-1.5 inches wide, convex with flattened tops, and with margins slightly curved under.

A peak at their undersides to look at their gills.

Older specimens look quite different from young specimens. I found some young specimens last year, on a fallen tree limb.

The caps of young specimens were ‘boring’ compared with older ones. Caps were a bland tan-brown, and almost flat. These caps had a depressed zone near their attachment point. The cap surfaces were uneven. Descriptions say young caps may be hairy or woolly.

The undersides of the young specimens were more interesting than the caps. Gills were close and a pale yellowish brown. Descriptions say the gills may be forked. I didn’t find any forked gills, but I did fine crossveining, which is visible in the largest cap.

Panellus stipticus mushrooms are known for another characteristic that makes up for their bland appearance; they luminesce in the dark. There are nice pictures of the bioluminescence, including a video, in the link to the Cornell Mushroom Blog. I haven’t seen their luminescence yet. I’ve only found the mushrooms on pieces of wood too large to move, so viewing their luminescence is still on my bucket list.

Geographically, Panellus stipticus is distributed widely.

References:

- Michael Kuo, Mushroom Expert: Panellus stipticus

- Messiah College: Panellus stipticus

- Cornell Mushroom Blog: Evening Glow

- Discover Life: Panellus stipticus

Lenzites betulina (Gilled Polypore)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 19 May 2017 01:01:00 +0000

March 2^nd. Lenzites betulina (Gilled Polypore) is another one of the Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) look-a-like fungi that is often misidentified as a Turkey Tail… unless we look on their undersides.

I’ve been following this fungus at Fort Yargo State Park since last August. It’s pale now, although it still shows concentric zones of brown and white colors. When I first found it last August, it...

had concentric zones of pinks and oranges. This particular specimen is composed of two brackets that have grown into a rosette shape because they’re growing on the top of the log. When growing on the sides of logs, they form semicircular brackets. I picked one of the smaller brackets to examine its…

underside that shows the deep, white gills typical of L. betulina. In contrast, Turkey Tails would have white undersides with small pores. Thus, it’s easy to identify these species just by looking at their undersides.

Within a week, the pink shades had faded, leaving shades of orange and brown.

A couple of weeks later, the oranges had also faded; brown tones dominated.

The fading continued during the next month in dry weather, but…

the colors brightened a little after some rain. This enhanced color was temporary, and…

these specimens continued to fade, although they didn’t disintegrate.

This is the first time that I’ve seen Lenzites betulina with pink tones. Usually I’ve found young specimens with the orange and brown tones that I found on the second visit.

References:

- Michael Kuo, Mushroom Expert: Lenzites betulina: The Gilled Polypore

- Messiah College: Lenzites betulina

- Discover Life: Lenzites betulina

- Atlas of Living Australia: Lenzites betulina

Vaccinium elliottii (Elliott’s Blueberry)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Wed, 17 May 2017 18:18:00 +0000

March 2^nd – 14^th. Elliott’s Blueberry is the earliest of the Vaccinium species to bloom, and fruit in Fort Yargo State Park.

Plants flower before they leaf out. I photographed these flowers on March 2^nd, and returned on March 14^th to photograph the plant.

This is a particularly large bush, probably 6-to-7 feet tall and 10-to-12 feet in diameter. It’s growing in a shaded location at the water’s edge in an inlet on the reservoir. (These photographs were taken when the water level had been lowered for maintenance/construction activities.)

These blueberries ripen relatively quickly and are quite tasty. The birds, however, devour them as soon as they ripen.

Elliott’s Blueberry is distributed in the Southeastern United States, from Virginia to Texas.

References:

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Vaccinium elliottii

- USDA Plant Database:* Vaccinium elliottii (Elliott’s Blueberry)

- US Wildflowers: Vaccinium elliottii

*USDA Plant Database is currently experiencing some difficulty in displaying distribution maps. I’ve provided a link to the page in the hope that you may be able to see the maps. Alternatively, an embedded distribution map is available at the US Wildflowers site.

Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa (Round-lobed Hepatica)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Wed, 17 May 2017 00:49:00 +0000

March 10^th. The ‘last’ wildflower I was looking for at the Oconee Heritage Park (OHP) was the Round-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa).

This species, H. nobilis, which has three-lobed leaves, has two varieties: H. nobilis var obtusa, the Round-lobed Hepatica, and H. nobilis var acuta, the Acute-lobed Hepatica. The Round-lobed Hepatica occurs in our area; the Acute-lobed Hepatica does not. As the scientific and common names imply, the leaves of the Round-lobed Hepatica have rounded lobes, and the leaves of the Acute-lobed Hepatica have pointed lobes.

Leaves of the Round-lobed Hepatica persist through winter. Thus, plants can be spotted, by their characteristic leaves, before they bloom in early spring.

Until visiting OHP, I had found plants in moist environments near creeks or seeps. In OHP, however, I’ve found plants growing high on hillsides and ridges. In each case, they were growing and at the base of a tree on its north side, whether on a north- or south-facing slope. I assume that these spots are shaded during the heat of the day, and retain moisture that supports growth of the plants.

The characteristic round-lobed leaf.

Leaf and flower.

A flower. Flowers are usually a deep, intense purple when they first open, and gradually fade to white as they age.

I finally found the distribution for the Hepatica nobilis varieties. They are widely distributed in the eastern United States and Canada.

References:

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Hepatica nobilis var. acuta

- Wildflowers of the United States: Anemone americana - Round-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa)

- Wildflowers of the United States: Anemone acutiloba - Sharp-lobed Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis var. acuta)

Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 14 May 2017 15:39:00 +0000

March 10^th. Last year, I found Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) plants along the same section of trail where I found the Bloodroot plants. I was early for the geraniums, and only found…

one plant in bloom.

Wild Geranium flowers are a delicate pink, and easy to identify from a distance.

Even when they aren’t in bloom, plants are recognized easily by their distinctive leaf shape. Rather than a few clusters of plants as in the case of the Bloodroot plants, a large area was covered by Wild Geranium plants. It must be quite impressive when all the plants in this area are blooming.

I was too early for the main blooming of these plants but, just the presence of one bloom, lifted the ambience of the area with its leafless trees.

References:

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium)

- USDA Plant Database: Geranium maculatum (Spotted Geranium)

Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 12 May 2017 19:30:00 +0000

March 10^th. After several encounters with fungi, I reached the section of trail in the Oconee Heritage Park where I had seen a few early spring wildflowers last year. I was a week or so earlier than last year, so I wasn’t sure if I would be too early but…

I was in luck. I found Bloodroot (Sanguiaria Canadensis) at two locations on the same short section of trail. The name ‘sanguinaria’ comes from the fact that the sap in the stem and roots of this plant is red, and has been used as a dye.

Several flowers were at their peak.

Each flower had its characteristic leaf folded around the base of the flower stem.

A few days later and I would have missed the flowers. Some had already dropped their petals and were starting to form seed capsules.

It’s always delightful to find these plants in the woods.

References:

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Sanguinaria canadensis

- USDA Plant Database: Sanguinaria canadensis (Bloodroot)

Fuscoporia gilva (Mustard Yellow Polypore)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Wed, 10 May 2017 13:58:00 +0000

March 10^th. Still at Oconee Heritage Park (OHP). I found…

these old brackets on a tree by the trail. I knew, from experience, what they were: Fuscoporia gilva (Mustard Yellow Polypore), formerly called Phellinus gilvus. Although these brackets were old, they were quite beautiful.

A close-up of one of the brackets, and its…

pore surface. This fungus has very small pores.

F. gilva brackets don’t always look like the above as as they age.

I found these older brackets on a fallen log at OHP on the same hike.

I’ve only found fresh F. gilva with mustard yellow margins on one occasion, at Fort Yargo State Park, where I found them on a…

fallen tree trunk.

The tops of fresh brackets were a deep brown with a mustard yellow margin, hence, their common name, Mustard Yellow Polypore.

Their pore surface was also a deep purple-brown, with…

very fine pores.

The mustard color faded to brown within a week.

Yet another cluster of F. gilva, growing on a tree at the State Botanical Gardens of Georgia, south of Athens, Georgia.

Even very small, developing brackets lacked the mustard yellow margins. They did, however, have very small pores characteristic of this species.

In this area, F. gilva brackets are usually approximately 2 – 2.5 inches wide, but they can grow up to 6 inches wide. They may grow as single, or clusters of overlapping brackets.

References:

- Messiah College: Phellinus gilvus (now Fuscoporia gilva)

- Discover Life: Phellinus gilvus (now Fuscoporia gilva)

Hedgehog Gall Wasp (Acraspis erinacei)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 08 May 2017 15:32:00 +0000

March 10^th. I was sitting on the ground at the Oconee Heritage Park, photographing some fungi when something caught my eye.

Several of the leaves – White Oak (Quercus alba) leaves – had small ‘furry’ galls on them.

They were approximately 0.5 inches long, and located the central vein on the undersides of the leaves.

A little bit of research identified them as belonging to the Hedgehog Gall wasp (Acraspis erinacei). This wasp has an interesting life cycle.

Males and females mate in the spring, and the female lays eggs on various white oak species. The hatching eggs irritate cells on the tree, which forms a gall that protects the as many as five larval cells. The larvae feed and mature in the gall, which becomes the distinctive hedgehog gall. The gall is covered with red hairs when young and ages to the brown gall that I found.

Only female wasps emerge from the galls in the fall and, without mating, lay eggs in the buds. The eggs overwinter and hatch in the spring. The larvae develop in a thin-walled ‘blister’ on the inner face of a bud scale appears when the buds open in the spring. Male and female wasps emerge from this gall, mate, and produce the eggs to complete the life cycle.

References:

- Bug Guide: Acraspis erinacei - Hedgehog Gall Wasp

- MO Bugs: Hedgehog Gall

- Backyard and Beyond: Hedgehog Gall

Trichaptum biforme (Violet-toothed Polypore)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 07 May 2017 19:36:00 +0000

March 10^th. On a hillside above a small creek at Oconee Heritage Park, I found a hardwood tree with…

clusters of small bracket fungi at chest height and at its base.

These brackets were similar in size to Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor) brackets and had faded to be almost uniformly white.

The undersides of these brackets were dark with age, and had a maze-like appearance but lacking the radial orientation that I’d seen on the Trametes villosa brackets. These brackets were Trichaptum biforme, the Violet-toothed Polypore, yet another Turkey Tail look-alike.

It was a little surprising to find the maze pores still intact. Frequently, the pores of T. biforme break down into…

tooth-like structures. It’s not unusual to find them like this.

If you’re lucky, you might find young Violet-toothed Polypores. I found these last December at Fort Yargo State Park.

The caps were brown with distinctly purple margins.

Their undersides were also a rich purple, from which they get their common name, Violet-toothed Polypore.

Their pores have a zig-zag appearance.

As they age, the purple margin fades from the caps, and the…

pores lose their purple color.

The key to field identification of Trichaptum biforme, and differentiation from Trametes versiolor, is the characteristic pore surface. Even better, if you find young specimens with the distinctive violet coloration.

References:

- Michael Kuo, Mushroom Expert: Trichaptum biforme

- Messiah College: Trichaptum biforme

Trametes villosa

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sat, 06 May 2017 18:59:00 +0000

March 10^th. I went over to the Oconee Heritage Park off US-441 south of Bishop, Georgia, to look for early wildflowers that I’d seen last year. I decided to look for fungi in the woods along the way.

I noticed a log with some small, cream-colored bracket fungi that resembled the almost ubiquitous Turkey Tails (Trametes versicolor). These brackets were the same size as T. versicolor, about 1.4 inches across, and ‘paper-thin.’ They were growing in overlapping clusters on the side of, or in rosettes on top of the log. They were a little unusual in being so light colored. I almost dismissed them as being T. versicolor but they were pretty and I stopped to photograph them.

They resembled young…

T. versicolor brackets that I had found at home some years ago. Turkey Tails are identified by the fact that they have distinct zones of color on their caps, and…

white-to-light-tan undersides with small pores (holes).

I took a photo of a cluster on the side of the log, and a…

closeup of one of them, that showed the finely hairy surface characteristic of these small Trametes sp.

I almost left without photographing the undersides of one of the brackets. In the bright sunlight, I couldn’t really see the detail on the undersides. In fact, it was so bright, that I depended on the camera to focus on the pores without my being able to see them clearly. I didn’t see the pore structure detail until I got home and was processing the images.

I was very surprised, and excited, when I found that they had maze-like pores rather than the near circular pores of T. versicolor. This was the first time that I had found a Trametes sp. like this. It was one of the Turkey Tail ‘look-alikes.’

Two Trametes sp., T. villosa and T. pubescens, were suspects. Both are light-colored, without the stronger color zones characteristic of T. versicolor. T. pubescens appear to be sturdy brackets – up to 2.5 inches across and 0.5 inches thick – with angular pores (3-5/mm). T. villosa are described as up to 2.5 inches across, but only a few mm thick, and with pores that elongate as they age.

I have concluded that the brackets I found are T. villosa. This was an exciting find; this species is not reported frequently. I was lucky to find it. And I guess the moral of the find is, always to look at anything slightly out of the usual, and always look, and photograph, the undersides.

References:

- Michael Kuo, Mushroom Expert: Trametes villosa

- Michael Kuo, Mushroom Expert: Trametes pubescens

- Messiah College: Trametes pubscens

Acer rubrum (Red Maple)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 05 May 2017 17:59:00 +0000

March 3. One tree had bloomed before the Serviceberry tree. The Red Maple (Acer rubrum) had bloomed. I’d seen the blooms, but they were high up, and in the shade. No way to hook them and bring them down for a close-up shot. But the clusters of samaras – their seeds – were a different matter.

They were a bright red and, at the right time of day, were caught in the sunlight.

Although there are several Red Maples along this trail, this tree put on the best show this year.

References:

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Acer rubrum

- USDA Plant Database: Acer rubrum (Red Maple)

Amelanchier arborea (Serviceberry)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Thu, 04 May 2017 19:03:00 +0000

Time to get back to the blog, sadly neglected for a couple of months. Too much time on the internet, but learning new things, and more about old friends.

March 3^rd. The Serviceberry tree is one of the earliest to bloom at the lake. The first time I saw it, I was rowing and was surprised to see clusters of white flowers on a tree on the lakeshore. I was able to find a low branch with flowers, and identify it. Since then, I always keep an eye out for them.

This tree, approximately 25 feet tall, was growing right on the lakeshore. I wasn’t sure that I could reach flowers to photograph. That’s where my snake hook comes in handy. I was able to hook a lower branch and carefully pull it down to eye height.

Only one of the flowers was open; most were still at the bud stage.

I didn’t have much hope that I’d find opened flowers on March 8^th when I passed this site again. I was lucky. I found that there were several young tress, about 7-8 feet tall, growing around the taller tree. These had flowers too, and I was able to find…

clusters (racemes) with most of the flowers opened.

‘Locals’ have an explanation for the common name, Serviceberry. During the winter, mountain roads would often be in such poor condition and the weather so cold and inclement, that circuit-riding preachers would suspend church services for several months. Since the ground was hard, graves could also not be dug, The blooming of the Serviceberry indicated that the ground had thawed sufficiently for graves to be dug, and burial services conducted. Since the name was applied to English and New World trees in the 16^th century, the local etymology is unlikely, although it would have been practical.

References:

- Native and Naturalized Plants of the Carolinas and Georgia: Amelanchier arborea

- USDA Plant Database: Amelanchier arborea (Common Serviceberry)

- Wikipedia: Amelanchier

Phaeolus schweinitzii (Dyer’s Polypore)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 17:33:00 +0000

August. I almost missed this fungus as I walked along the trail. But there it was…

a Phaeolus schweinitzii fruiting body. It looked as if it was growing in the soil. However, these fungi grow in wood. P. schweinitzii has a preference for growing on conifers and it’s very likely that it was growing on submerged roots from the pine stump in the background.

This fruiting body was a simple cap approximately 4.5 inches in diameter. Often, these fungi develop multiple lobes and look much more elaborate than this one. The cap has concentric zones of browns, with a yellow margin; the yellow margin is characteristic of this species. Some caps have more orange tones than this one.

The cap is often depressed in the center as this one was. In fact, it had rained the previous evening and this cap was full of water when I found it. I had to drain it and blot it ‘dry’ to capture some of its surface characteristics.

This close-up of the cap shows the ‘felted’ appearance that is indicative of the velvet surface of the cap when it's dry. It’s interesting that there is a small cream area in the upper right of the image that indicates that the cap may have been beginning to develop another lobe.

I used a mirror to photograph the underside of the cap. The pore surface is a gold color, also characteristic of this species, and also appears to have a velvet texture. The pores are slotted and someone maze-like. The surface of the pores turn brown when bruised, as is evident in the upper part of the lower image.

This fungus is commonly called the Dyer’s Polypore because it can be used to dye wool.

Phaeolus schweinitzii is distributed widely in the northern hemisphere, and has also been documented to occur in Europe, Africa, and Australia.

References:

Mushroom Expert. Phaeolus schweinitzii

Discover Life: Phaeolus schweinitzii

Mushroom Observer: Phaeolus schweinitzii

Neolentinus lepideus (Train Wrecker)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 23 Jan 2017 00:57:00 +0000

September. I’ve seen Neolentinus lepideus, the Train Wrecker, on several occasions along the trail from the picnic shelter A to the Old Fort. These are striking mushrooms. They grow mainly on conifers and, occasionally, on hardwoods. I’ve found them growing on the stumps or fallen trunks of pine trees. Previously, I’d seen them in winter and early spring so I was surprised to find these in late September.

I didn’t see them as I walked north, but I couldn’t miss them on my way back down the trail. It’s easy to see why I couldn’t miss them.

They are impressive from a distance but, up close, these were works of art.

The cap diameter of the largest mushroom was approximately 4 inches. The brown scales that develop on the caps are one of the features for identifying these mushroom.

Views of these mushrooms, from the underside.

Scales are present on the stems are another identifying feature, as are…

the serrated margins on the gills.

The common name of this mushroom, Train Wrecker, derives from the fact that these mushrooms can grow on, and cause rotting of, treated wood used as railroad ties. Rotting of the ties has resulted in train derailments.

Neolentinus lepideus occurs frequently in the northern hemisphere, but has been documented in Australia.

References:

Messiah College: Neolentinus lepideus

Discover Life: Neolentinus lepideus

Tylopilus rhoadsiae (Pale Bitter Bolete)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 09 Jan 2017 21:09:00 +0000

September. The last bolete that I’ve been able to identify, thanks to friends on the Facebook ‘Boletes of North America’ group, was the Pale Bitter Bolete (Tylopilus rhoadsiae).

I spotted a pair of white boletes under a small bush a few feet from the base of a Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda). They were striking because they were almost pure white against the dark background. The caps were approximately 2.5-3 inches diameter and they stood about 3 inches high.

Closer inspection showed that the caps were slightly gray with pure white stems and pore surfaces. The pore surface darkens to a pink-gray color with age due to the color of the spores.

The stems showed delicate reticulation, particularly towards the apex.

I found several smaller boletes around the base of the nearby pine tree a little way south of the bridge to the Fishing Area. The specimens I photographed were probably associated with roots of that pine. I didn't find them in any other location along this trail.

Tylopilus rhoadsiae is one of the rare white boletes and is also unusual because it is mycorrhizal - associated with the roots – with pines. Most boletes I found in this area were mycorrhizal with hardwoods.

Tylopilus rhoadsiae occurs in the Southeastern United States, Mexico, and Central America.

References

Mushroom Expert: Tylopilus rhoadsiae

Discover Life: Tylopilus rhoadsiae

Exsudoporus frostii (Frost’s Bolete)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sat, 24 Dec 2016 00:28:00 +0000

August. I saw Frost’s Bolete (Exsudoporus frostii; formerly Boletus frostii) for the first time on another trail in the park.

They were easily visible from the trail. Two ‘shiny’ red caps. The caps of young Frost’s boletes are sticky.

When I turned one over, I could see the red reticulate stem and the red pore surface. (The fluid isn’t unusual in young specimens; older specimens usually have dry pore surfaces.) It didn’t take long to identify this species.

I’ve since found it in several locations near the trail north, but not south, of the Fishing Area.

This beautiful specimen was growing between the trail and the reservoir shore.

Another older specimen, with a still somewhat shiny cap, was growing beside the trail.

The reticulation on the stem is much more pronounced, but less pigmented, in specimens as they age. The pore surface becomes brownish in older specimens although they still develop the deep blue/black color that results from bruising, when a colorless compound called boletol is exposed to air and oxidized to a blue color.

I’ve mentioned, on occasion, that I often sit or lie on the trail to take photographs. I was lying just past a slight bend in the trail when I took this photo. A tree in the bend hid me from other walkers on the trail. I became aware of a walker cautiously approaching, just out of eyesight. I realized that they could only see my legs and feet, and were probably wondering if they were encountering a body on the trail. I sat up and let them know I was a living creature. We laughed. This isn’t the first time other walkers have wondered if I was OK, but this was the funniest occurrence, depending on how you look at it.

Exsudoporus frostii had been found widely in eastern North America, Mexico, and Costa Rica.

References:

Mushroom Expert: Boletus frostii

Discover Life: Boletus frostii

Tylopilus plumbeoviolaceus (Violet Gray Bolete)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 23:14:00 +0000

August. The Violet Gray Bolete (Tylopilus plumbeoviolaceus) is another bolete that might easily be overlooked. This one was growing in the ‘island’ created when the trail went on both sides of a tree in a primarily hardwood forest.

From a distance it didn’t look like much. However, up close it was elegant in its shape and colors.

Its cap was brown, approximately 3 inches in diameter, convex, and smooth.

The pore surface was white. Its stem tapered from larger at the base to small at the apex. The stem looked gray from a distance but when viewed up close, was a delicate purple streaked with white.

Its pores, 2-3/mm, were angular with relatively thick walls, and also had a translucent appearance.

I found only two specimens of this species: this one in the center of the trail, and another in the woods away from the main trail. Both observations were made north of the Fishing Area.

Tylopilus plumbeoviolaceus appears to be distributed widely in eastern North America although a couple of observations have been made in Central America and Korea.

References:

Mushroom Expert. Tylopilus plumbeoviolaceus

The Bolete Filter. Tylopilus plumbeoviolaceus (“Violet Gray Bolete”)

Discover Life. Tylopilus plumbeoviolaceus

Retiboletus ornatipes (Ornate-stalked Bolete)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Sun, 20 Nov 2016 22:05:00 +0000

August-September. I’d never seen an Ornate-stalked Bolete (Retiboletus ornatipes, formerly Boletus ornatipes), until this year. The first one was located where I couldn’t photograph it. But the second one made sure I saw it – in the end.

It didn’t look like much from above and I had missed it when I first walked along the trail. It blended well into its surroundings.

However, it certainly stood out in profile. I spotted it from a distance when I was walking back along the trail. I couldn’t believe that I’d missed it when I passed by it the first time. It was growing from exposed roots in the trail. Its cap was a dun brown, broadly convex, and smooth. I had to sit down on the trail and photograph it.

Retiboletus ornatipes is one bolete that is easy to identify from the stem alone. Michael Kuo (Retiboletus ornatipes) describes the stem as ‘… prominently and coarsely reticulate with a yellow reticulum that becomes brownish with age or handling.’ I like the description in Roger’s Mushrooms (Boletus ornatipes) better, ‘Stem... surface with a prominent network, or reticulum, or raised ridges.’ The specimens I’ve seen have ‘smooth’ stems with raised ridges that bruise brown with age or handling.

The pore surface was bright yellow with large pores (1-2/mm), easily visible to the naked eye.

The caps of old specimens were darker in color and often cracked to reveal the yellow flesh. Their stems were dark brown; a close view of the…

surface of the stem showed that the ornate reticulation was still intact and sharply delineated.

The pores of old specimens, that in this case hadn’t been bruised, had dried and had shrunk into an interesting pattern.

With most observations, I see a particularly specimen on one week only; rarely do I get the opportunity to see the same specimen on two successive weeks. I was, however, fortunate to have this opportunity with one specimen of Retiboletus ornatipes.

A young specimen that still had a light yellow cap and a pristine stem with ornate reticulation and no bruising.

A view of the pore surface and the stem. The pores were still blocked.

A week later, the cap was broadly convex and tan. The ridges that formed the reticulation were bruised brown.

A close view of the stem showed the brown-bruised stem. The ornate reticulation, however, was still quite evident.

This was the only species that I found at various places along the entire length of the trail. I found it at three locations: near the beginning of the trail; midway along the trail, above the cliff; and at the northern end of the trail not far from the Old Fort.

Retiboletus ornatipes is limited, geographically, to eastern North America. Specimens of related species have been found in Central America.

References:

Mushroom Expert: Retiboletus ornatipes

The Bolete Filter: Retiboletus ornatipes (Ornate Bolete)

Roger’s Mushrooms: Boletus ornatipes

Boletus pallidus (Pallid Bolete)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 22:12:00 +0000

August-September. The first Pallid Bolete (Boletus pallidus) I saw was growing at the edge of the trail in the woods just north of the beach. It appeared to be growing in the soil some distance from any tree. However, since boletes are mycorrhizal – have a symbiotic relationship with tree roots – it was probably growing on roots from one of the nearby oaks.

I might not have taken much notice of this unassuming bolete except for the fact that…

it was in beautiful condition. I sat on the trail and photographed it.

Its cap was buff to pale tan-colored and approximately 2.5 to 3 inches in diameter. Caps of Pallid boletes may range from white to pale tan; sometimes they may have rose-colored tinges.

The stems of these boletes are usually equal in diameter along their lengths, are white but may develop brown streaks. Stems are considered to be smooth, not showing any reticulation. The stem of this particular bolete was approximately 3 inches long, tapered from the base to the apex, was pure white, and smooth although showing some ‘dimpling’.

The pore surface of this first find was white and slightly translucent and showed some yellowing near the stem. The pores were relatively large, 2-3/mm. The pore surface bruised brown when damaged.

I found two Pallid boletes a week later.

The first of these had a more convex and darker cap, but exhibited the same plump stem.

The second exhibited a broad convex, almost flat, cap with a stem that was narrower in the middle than at the base or apex.

Later, in early September, I found a couple of Pallid boletes growing on rotting wood.

This bolete had an almost flat cap. Notably the stem was almost the same diameter along its length.

Its pore surface was a grayish-cream color due to the color – olive to olive-brown - of the spores that had been released, and also showed grey-blue bruising near the margin. Brown streaking was also obvious on its stem. At the base of the stem, the white mycelium of this species was clearly visible.

A closer views of the pores shows both the blue-gray bruising of this surface and the angular shape and density (2-3/mm) of the pores.

In contrast to the other Pallid boletes I found, this bolete had a white cap. Its pore surface was discolored by spore release and its stem was tapered and exhibited brown streaking. The white basal mycelium was visible at the base of the stem as well as emerging from the wood near the base of the stem.

Once I’d identified the first Pallid bolete, it was easy to recognize them in spite of the variability of cap color and stem shape. I found all but one of these specimens in the woods by the south end of this trail. I found the last specimen at a distance from the trail north of the Fishing Area.

Boletus pallidus has been documented from North America and Australia.

References:

Mushroom Expert: Boletus pallidus

The Bolete Filter: Boletus pallidus

Discover Life: Boletus pallidus

Tylopilus rubrobrunneus (Reddish Brown Bitter Bolete)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Fri, 11 Nov 2016 01:19:00 +0000

August. I found only one specimen of…

Tylopilus rubrobrunneus (Reddish Brown Bitter Bolete). It was growing near hardwoods just to the side of the mountain bike/hiking trail that runs parallel, a little higher up the hill, than my routine trail close to the shore of the reservoir. It was quite tall compared with the diameter of its cap. A ‘regal’ bolete.

Its cap was approximately 2.5 inches in diameter and a distinct purple-brown. The irregularities in the cap are thought to be the result of a parasitizing fungus.

The pore surface was pure white and translucent. The pores were angular and clearly visible with the naked eye, approximately 2-3 pores/mm. The purple color at the margin of the cap, is clearly visible in the first of these two photographs.

The stem was whitish-brown, tapering from the cap towards the base. The effects of the parasitizing fungus are clearly visible in this photograph. The stem looked smooth, but showed some…

reticulation that was visible at the apex of the stem near the cap.

Tylopilus rubrobrunneus is found only in North America, east of the Rocky Mountains.

Bolete Mushroom Season Is Here Again

References:

Mushroom Expert: Tylopilus rubrobrunneus

The Bolete Filter: Tylopilus rubrobrunneus (Reddish Brown Bitter Bolete)

Discover Life: Tylopilus rubrobrunneus

Heimioporus betula (Shaggy Stalked Bolete)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 00:17:00 +0000

August-September. Heimioporus betula, the Shaggy Stalked Bolete, is probably

the easiest bolete to identify along the trail from the beach to the Old Fort in Fort Yargo State Park.

The dead give-away to identifying this species is the coarsely reticulated stalk. This photo shows a particularly pristine stem that becomes more 'shaggy' with age. The red color under the surface is also characteristic for this species.

Young specimens growing have caps barely wider than the stalk. When in deep shade their caps are deep orange. Specimens growing in open woods have a lighter orange-colored cap. In either case, the caps of young specimens are sticky. The caps usually enlarge to be wider than the stalk.

As they age, the caps become dry and start to lose their deeper orange color.

Ultimately, the caps become yellow-colored.

The pore surfaces of young caps are irregular with large angular pores, 1-2/mm.The pore surfaces don't bruise blue when damaged.

The pores become ragged as they age and discolored by olive to olive-brown spores.

The red color under the surface results from a ring of color immediately under the surface, that...

diffuses throughout the stalk with age.

Shaggy stalked boletes may be solitary or scattered over a small area. It was unusual to find…

this pair growing closely together.

So far, I’ve only found most specimens in wooded areas between the beach and the Fishing Area. This year, I did find two small specimens just north of the Fishing Area, away form the main trail.

Heimioporus betula has been reported only in North America.

Bolete Mushroom Season Is Here Again

References:

Mushroom Expert: Heimioporus betula

Discover Life: Heimioporus betula

Pulveroboletus ravenelii (Ravenel’s or Powdery Sulfur Bolete)

noreply@blogger.com (JSK) — Mon, 31 Oct 2016 23:46:00 +0000

August-September, 2016. When I first spotted this mushroom, I was walking through a deeply shaded section in a mixed hardwood-pine woods. It stood out against its background.

It was a bright, ‘fluorescent’ yellow.

When I touched its stem, my fingers were covered with a yellow chalky substance. This bolete is covered with a bright yellow partial veil material when young; none remained on the cap of this specimen but it persisted on the stem.

The pore surface on young specimens was a bright yellow and bruised blue when damaged. The blue bruising observed with many boletes results when cells are damaged and a compound called boletol present in the cells is exposed to oxygen (oxidized) producing a color change from colorless to blue. (Interestingly, remnants of the veil are also visible at the margin of this cap.)

The pores on this bolete are relatively large - 2-3 pores/millimeter – round or angular in shape, and somewhat translucent in appearance.

In late September, I spotted a bolete with a duller yellow cap that had patches of orange. I thought it was a different species of bolete but, again when I touched it…

the yellow, chalky material, clearly visible in this photo, came off on my fingers. Immediately, I knew I had found an old specimen of Ravenel’s bolete.

The pore surface of this older specimen was a dark olive-gray that still bruised blue when damaged.

During the period between late August and late September, I found Pulveroboletus ravenelii at three different locations along the trail between the beach and the fishing area. The combination of the bright yellow color and the presence of the yellow, chalky material were key characteristics in identifying this species.

Pulveroboletus ravenelii is found in North and Central America, as well as in some Asian countries and Australia.

Bolete MushroomSeason Is Here Again

References:

Mushroom Expert: Pulveroboletus ravenelii

Mykoweb: About Boletes
Discover Life: Pulveroboletus revenelii