Specimen #15

Lycoperdales - The true puffballs

Firgure 1: Lycoperdon pyriforme.

Figure 2: Lycoperdon pyriforme.
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morganella_pyriformis.html

Name: Lycoperdon pyriforme previously called Morganella pyriformis
Common Name: Pear-shaped puffball

Family: Lycoperdaceae

Collection Date: 4th Oct. 2011 

Habitat: Found growing in clusters beneath some trees.    

Location: West Woods Park
Description: Fruiting bodies white in colour and soft to the touch and pear-shaped. When cut open spore mass in white.  

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

Key used: Orson K. Miller Jr. 1977. Mushrooms of North America. E.P. Dutton New York.
Keying Steps:

Introduction Key pg. 298.

1b. Yound puffball cut shows white firm fleshy spore mass (gleba) and usually thin outer skin...5

5b. Pear-shaped with base, less than 7cm thick...16

16a. Outer skin light brown, smoothor with a few hairs, in clusters on wood---> 364. L. pyriforme.

Ecology: This fungus is saprobic on dead wood of hardwoods and conifers. They usually grow in clusters during fall and winter. They are also very widely distributed and common throughout North America  (Kuo, 2008).

Kuo, M. (2008 November). Morganella pyriformis. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morganella_pyriformis.html

Links
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/morganella_pyriformis.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lycoperdon_pyriforme

http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~6358.asp

Specimen #14

Earth Tongues & Other Ascomycetes

Figure 1: Xylosphaera polymorpha.

Figure 2: Up close picture of Xylosphaera polymorpha.

Name: Xylosphaera polymorpha 
Common Name: Dead Man's Finger

Family: Xylariaceae

Collection Date: 4th Oct. 2011 

Habitat: Found growing along the trail in some soil.    

Location: West Woods Park
Description: Fruiting bodies spherical and black in colour and at various lengths. Fruiting body hard, not very soft and club-like. 

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

Key used: Orson K. Miller Jr. 1977. Mushrooms of North America. E.P. Dutton New York.
Keying Steps:

Figure 3: Xylosphaera polymorpha. found on rotting wood.

Introduction Key pg. 341.

1a. Fruiting body with stalk and head...2

2b. Head variously shaped but not cup-shaped...3

3b. If flattened not yellow...4

4b. Head round, depressed, or cylindrical...5

5b. Not green...6

6a. Fruiting body branched...7

7a. On wood, black, irregular with finger-like clubs--->412. X. polymorhpa

Ecology: This fungus is saprobic. Usually found growing on rotting tree stumps and they can grow in clusters.

Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xylaria_polymorpha

http://healing-mushrooms.net/archives/xylaria-polymorpha.html

Specimen #13

The Teeth Fungi - Hydnaceae





Figure 1: Hericium coralloides found growing on decaying log.







Figure 2: Small section of Hericium coralloides that was collected from larger fungi (fig. 1).



 

Name: Hericium coralloides 

Common Name: Comb Tooth Fungi

Family: Hericiaceae  

Collection Date: 4th Oct. 2011 

Habitat: Found on fallen decaying log on a hillside.    

Location: West Woods Park
Description: Very large fungi, in one big cluster about 1 foot or more across. Removed small part of fungi for collection. Fungi white, with tooth-like projections on each branch. "Teeth" of fungi hanging straight down.   

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

Figure 3: Hericium coralloides.

Key used: Orson K. Miller Jr. 1977. Mushrooms of North America. E.P. Dutton New York.
Keying Steps:

Introduction Key pg. 282 Hdynaceae.

1a. Cap absent; fruiting body with long white, delicate hanging teeth...2

2b. Multiple branches with long spines...4
4a. Teeth hanging only from branch tips---> 332. H. coralloides

Ecology: This fungus is saprobic and possibly parasitic. They can grow alone or in clusters, usually on fallen hardwood branches. They grow throughout late summer and fall. They are widely distributed and very common throughout North America (Kuo, 2003). 

Kuo, M. (2003, October). Hericium coralloides. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/hericium_coralloides.html


Links
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/hericium_coralloides.html

http://www.messiah.edu/Oakes/fungi_on_wood/teeth%20and%20spine/species%20pages/Hericium%20coralloides.htm

Specimen #12

Gilled Mushrooms - Basidiomycetes

Figure 1: Picture showing underneath cap of Corprinus comatus and inky-like liquid.  

Figure 2: Cap of Corprinus comatus showing up-curled edges and brown scales on top of cap.

Name: Corprinus comatus 
Common Name: Shaggy Mane

Family: Agaricaeace  

Collection Date: 29th Sept. 2011 

Habitat: Found in clusters underneath some pine trees.    

Location: Hiram College Campus

Description: Large cap about 2-3 inches across, white with brown scales on cap and the edges of the cap curled up. Underneath cap very black which gives off ink-like liquid.  

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

Key used: Orson K. Miller Jr. 1977. Mushrooms of North America. E.P. Dutton New York.
Keying Steps:

Figure 3: Corprinus comatus.

Introduction Key pg. 170 Corprinaeace.

1b. Cap coloured or coloured with scales...3

3b. Cap large (2-8cm broad, 3-12cm tall, conic, wrinkled margins)...7
7a. Cap narrowly conic, white, brown scales---> 188. C. comatus

Ecology: This fungus is saprobic. They can grow alone or in clusters and grow throughout summer and fall. They are widely distributed throughout North America (Kuo, 2008). 

Kuo, M. (2008, February). Coprinus comatus: The shaggy mane. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/coprinus_comatus.html


Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coprinus_comatus

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/coprinus_comatus.html

Specimen #11

Beech Bark Disease




Figure 1: Diagram showing the life cycle of Beech Bark Disease.
Please click on picture for an up close view.



Figure 2: Beech Bark Disease of branch collected.



Name: Beech Bark Disease. Fungus: Nectria coccinea
Collection Date:  11th Oct. 2011

Habitat: Fungi found on fallen branches beneath Beech tree. 

Location: Hiram Field Station
Description: Perithecia or fruiting body very small only approximately 1cm or less. Orange-brown in colour and found in clusters on the branch.  

Collector: Olivia Benjamin



Figure 4: Sexual stage of Nectria fungus, showing perthecia.



Ecology and Life Cyle of Beech Bark Disease: Beech Bark Disease is a complex that infects and kills the species of tree the American Beech tree or Fagus grandifolia. This disease is distributed throughout eastern North America and parts of Canada, it was originally introduced from Europe in 1929. The life cycle of disease happens in two stages; the insect and then the fungus. A small (0.5-0.1mm) insect called the Beech Scale or Cryptococcus fagisuga colonize on the beech tree and feed on the sap of the inner bark, causingopen wounds on the tree bark. This stage looks like large amounts of wool covering the bark of the tree. The feeding of the beech scale then allows for the introduction of the fungus called Nectria or Nectria coccinea which is a pathogen. The Nectria fungus then enters the tree killing woody tissue that can sometimes cause cankers on the tree. This fungus allows forms fruiting bodies called perithecia which are round, and orange-brown in colour. Each perithecia has a sac filled with spores that are usually released in fall and are carried by the wind. There is also an asexaul stage of the fungus, which looks like white cushions that produce asexual spores which can also be dispersed by the wind. (O'Brien et. al., 2000)



Figure 3: Asexual stage of Nectria Fungus.


Links
http://michigansaf.org/ForestInfo/Health/BBdisease.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beech_bark_disease
http://na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/fidls/beechbark/fidl-beech.htm

Specimen #10

The Boletes

Figure 1: Top of fruiting body of Suillus luteus.

Figure 2: Suillus luteus.

Figure 3: Porus underneath of fruiting body of Suillus luteus.

Name: Suillus luteus
Common Name: Slippery Jack or Sticky Bun

Family: Boletaceae  

Collection Date: 29th Sept. 2011 

Habitat: Found in clusters underneath some pine trees.    

Location: Hiram College Campus

Description: Large cap about 5-5.5 inches across. Underneath cap porus and yellow in colour.Top of fruiting body brown.  

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

Key used: Orson K. Miller Jr. 1977. Mushrooms of North America. E.P. Dutton New York.
Keying Steps:

Introduction Key pg. 241

1b. Cap and stalk may be hairy but not as above...2

2b. Tubes straight, veritcally arranged, mouths open; widely distributed...3
3b. Tubes not radial arranged, mouths often round to angular, viscid cap...Suillus

Key to Suillus pg. 247

1a. Veil and/or annulus present...2

2b. Veil leaves a ring...3

3a. Cap viscid to glutinous surface...4

4b. Cap smooth, viscid to glutinous surface...5

5b. Cap and veil not bright yellow to red, under or near various conifers...6

6b. Cap convex but not knobbed, viscid to glutinous, variously coloured but not olive-buff; widely distributed--->287. S. luteus

Ecology: This fungus is mychorrizal with various species of pine trees. Can be found all over the northern hemisphere and grows throughout spring, summer and fall.

Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suillus_luteus
http://boletales.com/genera/suillus/s-luteus/

Specimen #9

Gilled Mushrooms - Basidiomycetes

Figure 1: Amanita muscaria showing fragments of volva a base of stalk.

Figure 2: Amanita muscaria cap colouring; orange fading to light yellow.

Figure 3: Amanita muscaria in less mature stage than above picture (cap has not flattened).

Name: Amanita muscaria
Common Name: Fly Agaric

Family: Amanitaceae

Collection Date:  29th Sept. 2011

Habitat: Fungi found beneath a cluster of pine trees. 

Location: Hiram College Campus



Figure 4: Up close picture of less mature Amanita muscaria's cap.



Description: Medium sized, about 4 1/2 inches tall. Middle of cap orange fading to light yellow to edge of cap. Stalk white with volva present. 

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

Key used: Orson K. Miller Jr. 1977. Mushrooms of North America. E.P. Dutton New York.

Keying Steps:

Introduction Key pg. 23
1a. Gills free from stalk...2
2a. Volva present or pieces of volva in duff around stalk base, warts present on cap, ring present or absent...pg. 24 Amanitaceae

Key to Amanitaceae. 1b. Volva in fragments over bulb...7

7b. Cap with a definite pigment...9

9b. Cap light yellow to yello, orange, green or red...13

13b. Cap yellow, orange to red...15

15a. Cap large, warts white, volva white...16

16b. Stalk base lacking the concentric rings---> A. muscaria

Ecology: This fungus is mychorrizal and usually found under pine trees.

Links
http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Amanita_muscaria.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amanita_muscaria