The weather has not been cooperating! The Pittsburgh region has missed out on rain when the last two or so cold fronts have come through. Everyone is eagerly awaiting chanterelle season but it’s too dry. The area where we walk has a creek running through it so there are always some mushrooms or slime molds to be found but it was hard going. Lots of dried up specimens from last year along with a handful of fresh species but only one or two individuals per species. We did find 4 slime mold species down by the creek. There was a lone bolete, three Russula species, a couple of Amanitas and a single Cortinarius. Despite the poor show from the mushrooms the 16 or so people who joined the walk had a good time.

Species list entered by Richard Jacob. Species identified by Barbora Batokova, Robert Bosiljevac, Richard Jacob and Scott Pavelle.

Fungi:
Allodus podophylli (Mayapple Rust),
Amanita amerifulva (American Orange-Brown Ringless Amanita),
Amanita flavoconia (Yellow Patches),
Amanita solaniolens (Old Potato Amanita),
Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa (Coral Slime),
Cerioporus varius (),
Daedaleopsis confragosa (Thin-maze Flat Polypore),
Fuligo septica (Scrambled-egg Slime; Dog Vomit Slime),
Irpex lacteus (),
Lycogala epidendrum (Wolf’s Milk Slime),
Marasmius rotula (Pinwheel Marasmius),
Megacollyb rodmanii ( Platterful Mushroom),
Mycetinis opacus (),
Niveoporofomes spragueia (Green Cheese Polypore),
Orbilia xanthostigma i (),
Phellinus gilvus (Mustard Yellow polypore),
Russula vinosa (),
Schizophyllum commune (Split Gill),
Stereum ostrea (False Turkey-tail),
Trametes gibbosa (Lumpy bracket),
Trametes versicolor (Turkey-tail),
Trichaptum biforme (Violet Toothed-Polypore),
Tyromyces chioneus ()White Cheese Polypore),
Xylobolus frustulatus (Ceramic Parchment)

Species missing from list:
Stemonitis sp. ( Chocolate Tube Slime),
Hydnellum sp.
Cortinarius sp. (Cortinarius torvus or Cortinarius alboviolaceus)
Hemileccinum subglabripes (),
Small red capped Russula sp.
Larger red capped Russula sp.

Photos by Susan Bertoty and Richard Jacob