We had 22 people show up for this distant walk. We only hunted for an hour but found remarkable diversity for the conditions. Six of our collections were of sufficient quality to make good herbarium specimens for a new fungal herbarium at the Natural History Museum at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center. Our host, Mark Lethaby, directed us to a mature forest habitat near the marina. A couple of edibles were found, a nice fresh fruiting of Laetiporus sulphureus (Chicken Mushroom; Sulphur Shelf) and some Fistulina hepatica (Beefsteak Polypore). Fistulina hepatica is one of the few wild mushroom species that you can eat raw. The taste is a mixture of lemon and mushroom flavors and very pleasant.
Species list entered by La Monte H.P. Yarroll. Species identified by La Monte Yarroll, Garrett Taylor, John Stuart and Richard Jacob.
List of species found on the walk at Presque Isle State Park:
(Black Knot of Cherry), Apiosporina morbosa
(Honey Mushroom), Armillaria mellea
(Crown-tipped Coral Fungus), Artomyces pyxidatus
(Blue-green Stain), Chlorociboria aeruginascens
(Alcohol inky), Coprinus atramentarius
(), Crepidotus applanatus
(Orange Jelly; Witches’ Butter), Dacrymyces chrysospermus
(Thin-maze Flat Polypore), Daedaleopsis confragosa
(), Diatrype stigma
(Beefsteak Polypore), Fistulina hepatica
(Green Cheese Polypore), Fomitopsis spraguei
(Artist’s Conk), Ganoderma applanatum
(Parrot Mushroom), Gliophorus psittacinus
(Chestnut Bolete), Gyroporus castaneus
(), Hydnochaete olivaceus
(Fading Scarlet Waxy-cap), Hygrophorus miniatus
(AKA Inocybe rimosa), Inocybe fastigiata
(Carbon Cushion, Brittle Cinder), Kretzschmaria deusta
(Chicken Mushroom; Sulphur Shelf), Laetiporus sulphureus
(Malodorous Lepiota), Lepiota cristata
(Fairy Ring Mushroom), Marasmius oreades
(), Melanoleuca alboflavida
(Hexagonal-pored Polypore), Neofavolus alveolaris
(), Panellus stipticus
(Summer Oyster), Pleurotus pulmonarius
(Deer mushroom), Pluteus cervinus
(Elegant Polypore), Polyporus elegans
(Pigskin Poison Puffball), Scleroderma citrinum
(Turkey-tail), Trametes versicolor
(Violet Toothed-Polypore), Trichaptum biforme
(White Cheese Polypore), Tyromyces chioneus
(), Xerula megalospora
(), Xylaria longipes
(Ceramic Parchment) Xylobolus frustulatus
Species not currently on clubs life list:
Russula sp. (small red Russula)
Hypocrea sp. (fuzzy brown Hypocrea)
(), Entoloma strictius var isabellina
(), Xylobolus subpileatus
A knowledgeable and friendly group. I had a memorable experience on Saturday at PI and am looking forwrd to the next event.