Specimen #7

True Puffballs

Figure 1: Scleroderma aurantium showing inside containing dark coloured spores.

Figure 1: Scleroderma aurantium

Name: Scleroderma aurantium
Common Name: Common Earthball or Pigskin poison puffball

Family: Lycoperdales

Collection Date: 13th Sept. 2011 

Habitat: Found underneath trees amoungst some rotting wood.  

Location: South Chagrin Reservation

Description: About 1-1.5 inches tall. Friuting body tan- brown in colour with wart-like protrusions. Flesh very firm and hard to tear. Spores dark 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. 299
1a. Young puffball cut in half shows firm purple to purple brown fleshy spore mass (gleba) and often thick outer skin...2
2a. Fruiting body small, 3-6cm broad; outer skin into lobes but never curving back like an earthstar...3
3a. Outer skin covered with warts ---> 351. Scleroderma aurantium.

Ecology: This fungus is mycorrihzal with conifers and hardwoods. They are widely distributed and can be found alone or in clusters (Kuo, 2004).

Links
Kuo, M. (2004, December). Scleroderma citrinum. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/scleroderma_citrinum.html
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/scleroderma_citrinum.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scleroderma_citrinum

Specimen #6

Ascomycetes

Figure 1: Leotia lubrica

Figure 1: Up close photo of Leotia lubrica

Name: Leotia lubrica

Family: Leotiaceae
Common Name: Jelly Baby

Collection Date: 13th Sept. 2011 

Habitat: Found underneath trees amoungst some rotting wood.  

Location: South Chargin Reservation
Description: About 1-1.5 inches tall. Yellow-olive green in colour- stalk and fruiting body same colour. Fruiting body irregularly shaped (lumpy) and gelatinous.

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

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

Introduction Key pg. 341
1a. Fruiting body with a stalk and head...2
2b. Head variously shaped but not cup shaped...3
3b. Fruiting body not flattened at top...4
4b. Head round, depressed, or cylindric, sometimes branched...5
5a.Head oval, wrinkled, yellow-green, viscid, stalk greenish and viscid ---> 411. Leotia lubrica.

Ecology: This fungi is a saprotroph, usually found growing under conifers and hardwoods during late spring - fall. They are widely distributed and common througout North America (Kuo, 2003).

Links
Kuo, M. (2003, June). Leotia lubrica. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/leotia_lubrica.html
http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Leotia_lubrica.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leotia_lubrica

Specimen #5

Polypores

Figure 1: Polyporus Veriscolor over-lapping clusters on log.

Figure 2: Polyporus Veriscolor

Name: Polyporus veriscolor (updated: Trametes versicolor)
Common Name: Turkey Tail

Family: Polyporaceae

Collection Date: 13th Sept. 2011 

Habitat: Found attached to tree branch.

Location: South Chagrin Reservation

Description: About an inch in size. Microscopic pores present on surface. Colours layered ranging from dark brown to tan.

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

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

Introduction Key pg. 273
1b. Spore-bearing surface composed of pores...2
2b. Not hoof-shaped or large...11
11b. Convex without any stalk, often imbriate (overlapping) and shelflike...18
18a. Pores lilac to purplish, usually in dense overlapping clusters...19
19. ---> 272. Polyporus Veriscolor

Ecology: This fungi is typically found growing in over-lapping clusters on stumps and logwoods from fall to spring in North America.

Links
http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/aug97.html
http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Trametes_versicolor.html

Specimen #4

Coral Fungi

Figure 1: Clavicorona pyxidata

Figure 2: Clavicorona pyxidata

Name: Clavicorona pyxidata

Family: Clavariaceae
Common Name: Crown-tipped Coral Fungi

Collection Date: 13th Sept. 2011 

Habitat: Found in clusters underneath trees.

Location: South Chargin Reservation
Description: About 1 inch tall. Tan in colour. One shoot with several branchings and tips of branches crown-shaped.  

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

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

Introduction Key pg. 233
1b. Multiple-branched fruiting bodies...5
5a. Delicately branched, without a fleshy base; spores white...7
7b. Branches irregular to equal branching...8
8b. Branches equal with crown-like tips; pale pink to tan ---> 272. Clavicorona pyxidata

Ecology: This fungus grows from June-September throughout North America. Usually found growing on rotten or decaying wood. Very distinguishable because of its crown-like tips (Kuo, 2007).
Kuo, M. (2007, April). Artomyces pyxidatus. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/artomyces_pyxidatus.html

Links
http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Fungi_Miller_Stevens_Rumann/Pages/clavicorona_pyxidata_page.html
http://www.messiah.edu/Oakes/fungi_on_wood/club%20and%20coral/species%20pages/Clavicorona%20pyxidata.htm
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/artomyces_pyxidatus.html

Specimen #3

Coral Fungi

Figure 2: Clavulina Cristata



Figure 1: Up close picture of Clavulina Cristata



Name: Clavulina cristata
Common Name: White coral fungi

Family: Clavariaceae

Collection Date: 13th Sept. 2011 

Habitat: Found in clusters underneath trees.

Location: South Chargin Reservation
Description: About 1 inch tall. White in colour. One shoot with several branchings and tips of branches crown-shaped.  

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

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

Introduction Key pg. 233
1b. Multi branched fruiting bodies...5
5a. Delicately branched, without a fleshy base, whites spores...7
7b. Branches irregular to equal branching...8
8a. Branches irregular, with fine tips; white tinted yellow ---> 271. Clavulina Cristata

Ecology: This fungus is a saprotroph. Usually found in clusters or solitary on the ground or sometimes on rotten wood in both coniferous and hardwood forests. Widely distributed in North America (Kuo, 2007).
Kuo, M. (2007, April). Clavulina cristata. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/clavulina_cristata.html

Links
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clavulina_cristata
http://www.mykoweb.com/CAF/species/Clavulina_cristata.html
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/clavulina_cristata.html

Specimen #2

Gilled Mushroom

Figure 1: Hygrophorus speciosus- view of stalk and adnexed gills.

Figure 2: Hygrophorus speciosus- view of top of fruiting body.

Name: Hygrophorus speciosus
Common Name: Waxy Cap

Family: Hygrophoraceae
Collection Date: 13th Sept. 2011

Habitat: Found under a cluster of trees.

Location: South Chargin Reservation

Description: Measured about 1.5-2 inches tall and cap about 1.5 inches. Fruiting body bright red-orange in colour. Gills adnexed. Stalk 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. 47
1b. Fruiting body coloured...11
11a. Cap bright yellow, green, orange, pink or red...12
12b. Cap some other colour...13
13b. Cap ovoid shape to convex, if conic then not pointed...15
15b. Cap not orange, or if not orange infused with yellow or red...18
18a. Cap orange-red over center to yellowish orange over margin ---> 35. H. speciosus

Ecology: Species are ground dwelling and mycorrhizal. Typically found in woodland areas and are associated with the larch tree. Worldwide distribution.

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

Specimen #1

Jelly Fungi



Figure1: Exidia glandulosa on fallen branch.

Figure2: Up close view of Exidia glandulosa.
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1156639



Name: Exidia glandulosa
Common Name: Black Witche's Butter

Family: Auriculariaceae
Collection Date:  13th Sept. 2011

Habitat: Fungi found on a fallen branch beneath a cluster of trees. 

Location: South Chagrin Reservation

Description: Small, only about 0.5cm (each head). Dark brown and gelatinous. In clusters on branch, a few not clustered.

Collector: Olivia Benjamin

 

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

Keying Steps:

Introduction Key pg. 317
1a. Not stalked, earlike, cuplike or irregular masses; always on wood...2
2b. Jelly-like masses of earlike lobes, yellow orange to brown...3
3b. Brown to gray-brown lobes...5
5b. Smaller, 2-6cm long, lobed, dark brown ---> 381 Exidia grandulosa.

Ecology: saprotroph, growing on recently fallen and rotting branches, usually encountered in both spring and fall. Widely distrubuted throughout North America (Kuo, 2007).

Kuo, M. (2007, April). Exidia glandulosa. Retrieved from the MushroomExpert.Com Web site: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/exidia_glandulosa.html


Links

http://www.mushroomexpert.com/exidia_glandulosa.html
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1156639
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhNwJvTbJxo