A Fungus Among Us

While we were on our walk Sunday, my sister exclaimed "Now there is something to blog about!" And there on the side of the tree were these really cool shelf fungi.

Below is my hand placed on one of these monster 'shrooms. This would make quite a meal. They are edible, but from what I read, they are not super tasty. Hmmm, maybe if they were dipped in chocolate....

There are many fungi considered shelf or bracket fungi. This one is Polyporus squamosus. It has a couple of common names. One is Dryad's Saddle and another is Pheasant's Back.

So what in the world is a Dryad and why would it have a saddle? Well, a Dryad is a tree nymph. And if you eat some of the other mushrooms that you shouldn't, you will probably see them riding on this saddle-shaped mushroom. :)

The top of this fungus is scaly, covered in squamules. And this is where the squamosus name fits in. The pattern on the top of the fungi are very similar to a female pheasant's back. This is why the other common name for these fungi are Pheasant Backs. Supposedly, many a hunter have snuck up on these fungi when they are located low on a trunk or on a downed log, thinking they have located a resting pheasant.

Mushrooms in the genus Polyporus are stalked, as you can see in the above photo. Polyporus means "many pores". Some fungi have gills, or lamellae, and some, like these, have pores that contain all the tiny spores. The spores act similar to seeds of a plant. Below is a bottom shot showing the pores.

Below is a close-up of the pores. A fungus this size could hold billions of spores. The spores are so minute that they can be carried miles up into the atmosphere and deposited thousands of miles away.

If these spores land on a tree or downed log, they will produce enzymes that break down the wood, releasing the nutrients and minerals to be used by other forest organisms. The enzymes specifically break down lignin, or the brown hard part of the wood. They make the wood so that it appears spongy and moist.

If you want to learn more about these fascinating mushrooms and all about polypores go to Tom Volk's site. He is a professor from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. He has a great writing style, is very informative, and is pretty funny at times.

Fabulous Fungi-Scarlet Elf Cup and Devil's Urn

I have been trying to learn fungi, lately, and it has been a interesting and fun challenge. The few I have found recently have great names like Scarlet Elf Cup, Sarcoscypha coccinea. As you can see from the picture above, it is bright red and cup-like in shape. It is also minute, a little larger than a dime. They are commonly found around maple trees, which are plentiful at Southeastway Park. They are only found in the spring, so now is the time to look! The genus Sarcoscypha means "fleshy cup". The second part of the scientific name, coccinea means "scarlet".

I had stumbled upon another Sarcoscypha when I visited Clifton Gorge a while back. I had seen it once before at Eagle Creek Park, near Lilly Lake. I had hit a dead end on the identification and had asked the help of a knowledgeable and humorous fungi guru, Tom Volk. If you want to learn a lot about fungi and have some fun doing so, I would recommend his website. I found out from Tom that the one below was either Sarcoscypha dudleyi or Sarcoscypha austriaca, but the only way to tell them apart is by the spores. So Sarcoscypha sp. it will be! This one differed from the Scarlet Elf Cup by the size of the fungus; it was about two and a half to three inches in size.

Another great "cup" fungus, that is out this time of year is the Black Tulip or Devil's Urn, Urnula craterium. I prefer the second name, it just sounds more ominous. Below is a look down into the depths of the Devil's Urn. (I feel like I need to add a wicked laugh for the full effect.) If you blow very gently on the inside of the urn, the spores (called ascospores) will puff out, looking like smoke.

And below is a cool side view. This mushroom is saprobic, feeding on decaying wood. These were found on a stick buried under some leaves. They prefer very moist soil and cottonwood, oak or aspen wood.

And to add to the excitement of my find, one of the urns was full of tiny spiders. So fitting for a Devil's Urn! The little guys had just hatched out and can be seen in the dark area inside the cup.

If you find a Devil's Urn, Tom Volk is collecting them and would appreciate you sending him the dried specimens. More details are at his website.