becoming lichens of our own minds

Went out to look for porcini or chanterelles and didn’t find any, but at least I found my favorite fungal organism! Scutellinia scutellata, the eyelash cup, is normally pretty rare in Utah but this is my second time finding it this year! this bunch was growing on a decaying branch in the middle of a stream.

Found a nice sized bunch of inkcap mushrooms. Collected them to render down into an ink! hopefully then i can use it for writing or drawing later.

Didn’t find any mushrooms, but did enjoy some Hawksbeard flowers that are still clinging to life! we’re at the end of wildflower season and nearing the end of mushroom season so every day we get outside is a good day indeed.

Russula so found on a recent foray

We’re out here finding some beautiful red russulas! We also found out that they glow under a black light. Going to have to return at night to see it!

Boletus can be spotted by seeing what looks like a potato…. or a hamburger bun sticking out of the ground. They can grow bigger than a dinner plate too! On the underside of the cap they have pores instead of gills, and a reticulation netting-like pattern on the large and impressive stalk.

Found our first King Bolete! Boletus edulis is probably the most sought-after mushroom in the world. it’s a prized edible nearly everywhere in the northern hemisphere. We got very wet and dirty trying to find this one in a flooded meadow, but managed to walk away with 3!

Went on a big foray with the mushroom club! Will post photos of the mushrooms found and talk about some of the things I learned later.

BIG orange sponge polypore growing on the side of this fallen log.

How can you tell a bolete from other mushrooms? While most mushrooms have gills on the under side of the cap, mushrooms in the bolete family have spongy pores that release spores instead!

Gorgeous young Amanita muscaria someone found on a recent foray! My first Amanita 😍 Ours aren’t bright red like the popular 🍄 is, but a rather muted yellowish tan.

Weirdly enough this might be my favorite slime mold, only because of its garish looking appearance. If you sit and watch them long enough you can see them move as they search around the forest floor for food!