About 25 people turned out for a walk at hidden gem, and disk golf course, Deer Lakes Park. This walk is held in June each year and is named in memory of Dorothy Fornof. Dorothy Fornof (1922 – 2006), a founding member of the WPMC, received the WPMC Special Service Award in 2003 for her dedication as a Club Mycologist, Mushroom Display Chairperson, her expertise in mushroom identification, and willingness to share that vast knowledge with all Club members. Dorothy led many mushroom walks at Deer Lakes Park and she impressed many as a woman with a profound knowledge of not only the fungi discovered on walks, but also the birds on sighting and by their songs, and practically every plant. She had a keen interest in all nature. When asked about how she could remember all the names and she said it took many years of hard work of learning and remembering. (A special thanks to Valerie Baker for her remembrance of Dorothy).

In late June the fungal diversity really picks up as there are still frequent rains as well as warmer days. Black trumpet season has been going for a couple of weeks and we normally find some of the the early season Chanterelles. This year was no exception with a wide range of species collected and identified. Of particular note were the 6 different chanterelle (Cantharellus and Craterellus) species found in the fairly small region of the park that we explored. There were tiny Cantharellus minor, beautiful Craterellus ignicolor which develop a small hole in the center of the cap and less brightly colored Cantharellus appalachiensis (Appalachian Chanterelle). We observed a lot of Galiella rufa (Hairy Rubber Cup) on the forest floor which should maybe be renamed peanut butter cups due to the beige color of the inner cup. There were also a lot of brood VIII cicada bodies around the trees and a few live ones. Some of the live ones were missing abdomens completely and some of the dead ones were covered in fungus, probably a Metarhizium sp. or a Beauveria sp., we are currently working on confirmation. Identification wrapped up promptly at 1pm as a thunderstorm rolled in and heavy rain started.

Species list entered by Richard Jacob. Species identified by Jack Baker, Richard Jacob, Adam Haritan, John Stuart and La Monte Yarroll. A number of species were identified after the walk by Adam and Richard along with help from various iNaturalist members.

List of species found on the walk at Dorothy Fornof Walk – Deer Lakes Park:
Aleuria aurantia (Orange Peel Fungus),
Allodus podophylli (Mayapple Rust),
Amanita amerifulva (American Orange-Brown Ringless Amanita),
Amanita amerirubescens (Blusher),
Amanita brunnescens (Cleft-foot Amanita),
Amanita brunnescens var. pallida (Cream Colored Cleft-foot Amanita),
Amanita citrina var citrina (),
Amanita flavoconia (Yellow Patches),
Amanita flavorubens (),
Amanita vaginata var. vaginata (Grisette),
Aureoboletus innixus (Clustered Brown Bolete),
Aureoboletus roxanae (),
Boletus longicurvipes (),
Boletus subvelutipes (Red-Mouth Bolete),
Baorangia bicolor (),
Bulgaria inquinans (Black Jelly Drops),
Clavaria fumosa (),
Cantharellus appalachiensis (Appalachian Chanterelle),
Cantharellus lateritius (Smooth chanterelle),
Cantharellus minor (Small Chanterelle),
Cantharellus tenuithrix (American Common Chanterelle; American Golden Chanterelle),
Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa (Coral Slime),
Cortinarius distans (),
Cortinarius iodes (Iodine Cort / Viscid Violet Cort),
Craterellus fallax (Black Trumpet),
Craterellus ignicolor (Flame-colored Chanterelle),
Crepidotus applanatus (Flat Crep),
Crucibulum laeve (White-egg Bird’s-nest Fungus),
Daedalea quercina (Thick-maze Oak Polypore),
Fomitopsis spraguei (),
Fuligo septica (Scrambled-egg Slime; Dog Vomit Slime),
Galiella rufa (Hairy Rubber Cup),
Ganoderma applanatum (Artist’s Conk),
Gymnopus dichrous (),
Helvella macropus (),
Hydnellum scrobiculatum (),
Hydnochaete olivaceus (),
Hypomyces chrysospermus (),
Hypomyces luteovirens (Yellow-green Russula Mold),
Hypoxylon fragiforme (Red Cushion Fungi),
Inocybe rimosa (Straw-colored Fiber-head),
Inocybe tahquamenonensis (),
Laccaria laccata (),
Lactarius lignyotus (),
Lactarius oculatus (),
Lactarius quietus var incanus (),
Lactifluus volemus (Fishy Milkcap),
Leccinum albellum (),
Leotia lubrica (Yellow Jelly Babies),
Lycogala epidendrum (Wolf’s Milk Slime),
Marasmius opacus (),
Marasmius sullivantii (),
Massospora cicadina (Flying salt shaker of death),
Megacollybia rodmani (Platterful Mushroom),
Otidea onotica (Donkey ear),
Panellus stipticus (Luminescent Panellus, bitter oyster),
Psathyrella delineata (),
Phellinus gilvus (Mustard Yellow polypore),
Phylloporus rhodoxanthus (Gilled Bolete),
Pleurotus dryinus (),
Pleurotus pulmonarius (Summer Oyster),
Polyporus varius (),
Porphyrellus sordidus (),
Resupinatus applicatus (Black Jelly Oyster),
Russula aeruginea (),
Russula grata (Almond scented Russula),
Russula mariae (Purple-bloom Russula),
Russula variata (),
Russula vinacea (),
Schizophyllum commune (Split Gill),
Scutellinia scutellata (Reddish Eyelash Cup),
Sebacina schweinitzii (Jellied False Coral),
Stereum complicatum (),
Stereum ostrea (False Turkey-tail),
Suillus granulatus (),
Tolypocladium ophioglossoides (Goldenthread cordyceps),
Tremella foliacea (Jelly Leaf),
Tremella mesenterica (Witches’ Butter),
Trichaptum biforme (Violet Toothed-Polypore),
Tubifera ferruginosa (Raspberry slime mold),
Tyromyces chioneus (White Cheese Polypore),
Xanthoconium purpureum (),
Xeromphalina kauffmanii (),
Xerula furfuracea (Rooted Collybia),
Xylaria cubensis (),
Xylaria polymorpha (Dead Man’s Fingers)

Species not currently on clubs life list:
Elaphomyces verruculosus (Deer truffle, False truffle) new name for Elaphomyces granulatus,
Lamproderma nigrescens (Shiny Lollypop) a new slime mold find for the club,
Phaeotremella frondosa (Jelly Leaf) new name for Tremella foliacea,

We also found Hormomyces aurantiacus the anamorph stage, the asexual reproductive stage, of Tremella mesenterica. This was reported as Tremella mesenterica in the list.

Pictures by Richard Jacob: