Walk leader Brian Davis. Although Ryerson Station is a bit of a hike from Pittsburgh the State Park is really lovely with some great walking trials. We were on the hunt for morels but the season has been unpredictable to say the least. The fruiting of the different morel species often overlap but this year it is a bit more extreme than normal. The lack of rain has hampered things as well. We took a walk up into the hills in search of morels among the mature Tulip Popular trees. The group split with some members hunting the lower valley and the rest hiking up the hill. We found a variety of jelly fungi and a number of other species. On our return to the cars there was a note from one of the members that stayed in the low lying area thanking the park ranger and reporting that he had found a dozen Morels! The rest of us were not so lucky.

Five specimens collected in the park were submitted for DNA analysis: Auricularia auricula, Exidia recisa, Dacrymyces palmatus, Polyporus arcularius  and Verpa conica.

Species list entered by Richard Jacob.

List of species found on the walk at Ryerson Station:
Auricularia auricula (Tree-ear / Wood Ear),
Coprinellus micaceus (Mica Cap),
Dacrymyces palmatus (Orange Jelly; Witches’ Butter),
Exidia glandulosa (Beech Jelly Roll),
Exidia recisa (Wood ear),
Ganoderma applanatum (Artist’s Conk),
Mycena galericulata (Common Mycena; Rosy-gill Fairy-helmet),
Mycena luteopallens (Walnut Mycena),
Neofavolus alveolaris (Hexagonal-pored Polypore),
Parasola plicatilis (Japanese Umbrella Inky),
Pluteus cervinus (Deer mushroom),
Polyporus arcularius (Spring Polypore),
Polyporus squamosus (Dryad’s Saddle, Pheasant Polypore),
Schizophyllum commune (Split Gill),
Stereum complicatum (Crowded Parchment),
Trametes versicolor (Turkey-tail),
Verpa conica ()

Comments:
We also found an unidentified Mycena and one other unidentified gilled mushroom.

Pictures by Richard Jacob