Mushrooms on South Park Drive
Strolled up South Park with Marissa and Liz in search of fungal friends and found a fair few, my favorite being the rather strange Clavariadelphus occidentalis, a beast that apparently doesn't come up every year but seems to be doing well for itself this winter.
Questions:
Why are there introduced pines along South Park Drive?
Presumably they were all planted when Tilden was being landscaped in an effort to make it seem even more scenic, but the ones further up by the picnic areas have become very well established and host a panoply of fungi. I wonder how long it took after planting before stuff started fruiting.
What does spotted coralroot parasitize?
A question I seem to have to re-answer again and again for myself. Short answer: a bunch of stuff, but in the East Bay, probably Russula species. See Taylor & Bruns (1999)
Observations
Photos / Sounds
What
California Newt (Taricha torosa)Observer
kuedaDescription
One of maybe 5 or 6 we saw. Almost every single human we saw asked if we'd seen any newts.
Photos / Sounds
What
Witches' Butter (Exidia glandulosa)Observer
kuedaDescription
Maybe? Seems kind of dark.
Photos / Sounds
What
Webcaps (Genus Cortinarius)Observer
kuedaDescription
Small, alone, under oak.
Photos / Sounds
What
Funnels (Genus Clitocybe)Observer
kuedaDescription
Small, under redwood, no notable smell.
Photos / Sounds
What
Clay-gilled Milkcap (Lactarius argillaceifolius)Observer
kuedaDescription
Maybe L. argillaceifolius var. megacarpus, but definitely not gray. Many were very large, though, 30+ cm in diameter.
Photos / Sounds
What
Western Club Coral Fungus (Clavariadelphus occidentalis)Observer
kuedaDescription
Yay! These things are so cool.
Photos / Sounds
What
Spotted Coralroot (Corallorhiza maculata)Observer
kuedaDescription
Very early flowering, I think. Only one we found.
Photos / Sounds
What
Deathcap (Amanita phalloides)Observer
kuedaDescription
A couple fruiting, but far fewer than in December.
Photos / Sounds
What
Ivory Woodwax (Hygrophorus eburneus)Observer
kuedaDescription
Cap viscid, under oak and bay.
Photos / Sounds
What
Clavaria falcataObserver
kuedaDescription
Maybe? Same color as Macrotyphula but thicker.
Comments
Hey, I had heard (I vaguely remember it was one of my forestry profs- um- about 30 years ago) the planted Monterey pines along the Oakland-Berkeley Ridge Line were a WPA project. The ones above the Caldecott are gone now due to the Oakland fire- but I remember the distinct silhouette they cast.
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