mushroom-forest-life

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Mushroom of the day:

Darwin’s fungus/cyttaria Darwinii

Other names:Beech orange

Geographic location: South America, mainly in Argentina and Chile; growing location: all parts of southern beech trees

Characteristics: this mushroom pill yellow to orange is the size and shape of ping-pong or golf balls with dimples on the surface

Edible can be used for arts and crafts





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Euclid Spots a Spiral Galaxy

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Mushroom of the day:

Cordyceps/ Cordyceps militaries

Other names: Scarlett caterpillar club mushroom

Geographic location: all continents, except Antarctica; growing location: primarily on moth cocoons, or pupae, which are nuzzled and moss or leaf litter

Characteristics: similar appearance to cheese puff, this mushroom is an orange club shape. These mushrooms grow out of the soil or moss on a black cocoon or pupa

Edible

Maximum high is about 3 inches

In Chinese herbalism and western herbalism this mushroom is a primary use for supporting energy levels 

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Looks like a nice place to sit.

[mushroom-forest-life]

Mushroom of the day:

Coral fungus/Ramarua spp.

 geographic location: global, growing location: most grow on decaying wood, but some may be mycorrhizal, having a symbiotic relationship with trees, and therefore growing relationship to living trees.

Characteristics : coral mushrooms, which range and color from yellow, white, purple, orange, red, and tan . Some species bruise and change colors upon impact

Some species are edible and some are mildly poisonous

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[mushroom-forest-life]

Mushroom of the day:

Chicken of the woods/Laetiporus Sulphureus

Other names: sulphur polypore

Geographic location: Europe, and North America; growing location: roots tree, bases, and stems of a wide range of tree species, including oak, plum, willow, black locus,beech, and conifers.

Characteristics: mushrooms are bright orange to yellow in color. They are fan shaped shelf like mushrooms that grow in clusters.

Edible

Their poisonous look-alike is the jack-o’-lantern mushroom .

 if you have never eaten chicken of the woods it is recommended to eat small quantities . 10% of the population feels stomach discomfort when eating this mushroom .

Some use the chicken of the woods as a vegan remake of actual chicken





[mushroom-forest-life]

Mushroom of the day:

Chanterelles/Cantharellus spp.

Geographic location: global; growing location: Mycorrhizal species, andsymbiosis with conifers or hardwood trees

Characteristics: small small and generally orange, orange, yellow trumpet shape, mushroom that has gills running up the sides

Edible

Jack-o’-lantern mushroom is a dangerous look-alike. It is not deadly, but will make you very sick

There are a couple different types, 1. Golden Chanterelle/Girolle-grows in Europe, 2. Cantharellus minor -tiny Chanterelle , first reported in North America, but recently reported in Kerala,india,3. Peach chanterelle /pink chanterelle-grows in the Appalachian area ,4. White chanterelle-White mushroom, but bruises, orange ,5.Cantharellus lilacinus-purple to lilac ,6.  Cantharellus texensis- fiery reddish orange found primarily in Texas, but pops up in Louisiana Mississippi, Alabama and Florida

[mushroom-forest-life]

Mushroom of the day:

Chaga/Inontus obliquus

Geographic location: northern regions of North America, Europe, and Asia; growing location: birch trees

Characteristics: looks like charcoal growing on the side of a birch tree

When harvesting Chaga be careful not to over harvest. When Chaga is ready to be harvested, it has not yet spread its pours.

Can grow as high as 30 feet up a tree

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Mushroom of the day:

Cauliflower mushroom/Sparassis crispa

Geographic location: global; growing: the base of coniferous trees

Characteristics: mushroom is yellowish white and wiggly. It has pattern similar to a brain or, while also looking like a glob of lasagna noodle stuck together.

Edible

 health benefits: support the immune system, keeps blood sugar levels normal, promote skin health

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Mushroom of the day:

Caterpillar fungus/Ophiocordyceps sinensis

Growing location: China, Nepal, India, Bhutan on the Tibetan plateau and the Himalayas; growing location: parasitizes Caterpillars of the ghost moth at about 11,000 feet above sea level

Characteristics: brown, like mushroom grows out of the head of a ghost moth caterpillar

 Rarest, and most expensive mushroom in the world 

[mushroom-forest-life]

Mushroom of the day:

Cat’s tongue/Pseudohydnum gelatinosum

Other names: tooth jelly fungus, false hedgehog mushroom, and white jelly mushroom

Geographic location: potentially global; growing location: dead conifer trunk logs, and stumps

Characteristics: small translucent gelatinous, in tongue shaped. This mushroom has tiny teeth on the other side of the cap that feels like a tongue of a cat.

Edible 

[mushroom-forest-life]

Mushroom of the day:

Caterpillar fungus/Ophiocordyceps sinensis

Growing location: China, Nepal, India, Bhutan on the Tibetan plateau and the Himalayas; growing location: parasitizes Caterpillars of the ghost moth at about 11,000 feet above sea level

Characteristics: brown, like mushroom grows out of the head of a ghost moth caterpillar

 Rarest, and most expensive mushroom in the world 

[mushroom-forest-life]

Mushroom of the day:

Caesar’s mushroom/Amanita caelesarea

Geographic location: Europe, North Africa, India, China, and Mexico; growing location: primarily oak Forest

Characteristics: classic amanita and steel mushroom growing from a white egg shake structure. The same is a blend of yellow orange and white and the cap has a reddish orange color.

Edible with caution

Name comes from Roman Emperor Tiberius, Claudius, Caesar Augustus Germanicus, who loved eating mushrooms. he missed a deadly look-alike (the death cap ) for this mushroom and it killed him .

Cap can be anywhere from 2.4 to 5.9 inches in diameter while the stem is 1.32 5.9 inches in diameter .



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Mushroom of the Day: Blue Pinkgill/Entoloma hochstetteri

Other names: sky blue mushrooms

Geographic location: New Zealand, Australia, and India; growing location: leaf litter

Characteristics: bright blue mushroom that has a small pointed cap. The girls may leave a pink print to sit on paper overnight.

Grow to maximum Demeter of about 1.5 inches



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Mushroom of the day: Blewit/Clitocybe nuda

Other names: Wood Blewits or purple nudist mushroom

Geographic location: Europe, North America, and Australia; growing location: leaf litter

Characteristics: purple lilac, and stem mushroom with gills

Uses: edible and dyes

Help decompose, leaf litter, mulch, and other organic materials

Looks like cortinarius species,which are inedible, make sure the spore print is white before you consume them



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Mushroom of the Day: Bird’s Nest Fungi/Nidulariaceae family

Geographic location: Global; Growing location: decaying wood or plant matter

Characteristics: Usually growing in clusters. Most or less than half an inch tall. 

Primary use as a component of an insecticide.