Thursday, October 11, 2018

Three on Thursday

Joining Carole for Three on Thursday, and today it's with more mushrooms. It's been warm, humid, and rainy, providing perfect conditions for fungus. Thanks to my mushroom book, now I know what these are called.


The book seriously calls these Little Brown Mushrooms (also Little Boring Mushrooms or LBMs)! "This catch-all term is used even by professional mycologists to refer to any of a number of common, medium, brownish mushrooms that are difficult to identify precisely, and are usually considered not worth the bother." These LBMs are growing in a fairy ring; it looks more like a fairy square or maybe fairy blob to me, but it seems these professional mycologists call it a ring even if it's a disorganized one. 


This Green-Spored Lepiota (Chlorophyllum molybdites) is distinguished by its greenish spore print. Really that just means I broke the cap off of the large mature one and looked at the grayish-green color of the mature gills on the underside. Part of the trouble with mushroom identification is that they change a lot as they mature. These are all the same, but the young specimens have elongated caps with bumps (scales) before they open up. They are labeled as TOXIC in the book, and the accompanying skull and crossbones looks like they mean it. 


When I first saw these, I wondered how pine cones ended up at the base of one of our big oaks. (I blamed squirrels.) They encircle most of the tree, with more showing up every day. These are actually Hen of the Woods or Grifola versicolor. "These large woodland species are fibrous, and overeating can cause digestive issues." Good to know, but there is no danger of overeating Hens here. 


Mushroom identification seems to be a somewhat imprecise science, at least for someone like me. I don't intend to eat any of them, and am just curious about what the multiple types that pop up in my lawn might be called. My identifications are really best guesses, and now that I know about LBMs, I will probably be seeing a lot more of those. 

Head on over here to read more Three on Thursday posts.

13 comments:

  1. You might want to reconsider not eating Hen of the Woods - they are delicious!

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  2. I love those mushrooms that open up like umbrellas! And, I think we saw some "Little Brown Mushrooms" on vacation... but sadly they were the only mushrooms we saw!

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  3. Amazing how that bottom photo really DOES look like a pinecone.

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  4. I have begun examining every mushroom I find in my yard these days, just out of curiosity. I found a huge one yesterday with bright lime green gills. Fascinating, really. I have read that Hen of the Woods is delicious, and if Carole says so, I believe her.

    I finished the Hank Green book, Bonny. I don't know if I recommend it or not. I found this book to be disorienting and maddening, but I am glad I read it. It does a really good job of describing how social media and fame can turn a life into a superficial parody of a life. So, it is somewhat sad. There is a mystical element to it apart from the sci-fi theme. It skips from small, trite issues like pride to larger issues regarding our humanity. As an older, i.e. old, woman who consciously does not participate in much social media, it made me think about things that I have not thought about much before reading it. Overall, it did not change my mind about my reluctance to join Twitter, Instagram, etc. It still seems like a false road into a alternate reality which holds no attraction for me. But it's always good to read another point of view in an effort to understand what motivates people of other perspectives. Oh, and it is wildly imaginative, if that appeals to you. After that confusing review, do what you will! LOL

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  5. I had so much fun looking for mushrooms in the U.P. last fall, fresh from a little presentation about same at my local nature center. One thing I learned, same as you, is that mushrooms change a lot as they mature -- and they all mature at different rates! You might see mushrooms in the morning but no trace by afternoon! Also, that many mushrooms/fungi are VERY small... it's like a magical mushroom wonderland (which some of them may induce, hahah!). I agree with Carole, though, that the hen of the woods are delicious, as are chicken of the woods. My dad & his brothers were devotees of Euell Gibbons back in the day...

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  6. LBM - that just cracks me up! A number of years ago Fletch got a mushroom identification guide and I had horrible visions of him going out and collecting some for me to cook...or put in salads. Luckily that hasn't happened. I see many noting that Hen of the Woods are delicious, but I'm a bit wary of picking my own. Luckily we are not that far from Kennett Square (mushroom capital for sure).

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  7. We've had so much rain, we don't even have mushrooms! I'm sort of glad, actually. I love looking at photos of them. They are so pretty in pictures, but the real things kind of creep me out. (I guess it goes without saying, I don't like to eat mushrooms.)

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  8. We, too, have So. Many. Mushrooms. Many of them . . . types I have never seen before! (I nearly did a 3-mushrooms post today, too.) I love that you're identifying them. I'm always curious -- but not planning to try any of them. Interesting, though! :-)

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  9. We had a mushroom as big as a human head. Ive never seen this before. I'll try to find the photo of it. YIKES. I dont eat mushrooms buy my husband loves store bought

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    1. Some of the mushrooms in my yard are a little bit large (maybe 6-7"), but nothing the size of a human head! It sounds both intriguing and a little scary!

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  10. Due to overwatering, and now two weeks of rain, we have had a multitude of mushrooms around the condo grounds. I have seen more variety this year than every before. I wish I'd taken pictures over the last few months as I'd have some interesting varieties to show. Today big black mushrooms (unlike yours) with pointed caps caught my eye. Mylo usually ignores any mushrooms we find, but he gave the black ones a real sniffing! oh my

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  11. Fascinating! and I'm really curious about those Hens that Carole says are delicious ....

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  12. the mushrooms are growing like crazy here in certain parts of our yard, so much dreariness and rain seems to be what they love.

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