Today’s reader photos are of fungi, and come from reader Rik Gern, who adds an artsy interpretation. His captions and ID’s are indented.
Here are some submissions for your Readers’ Wildlife Pictures section.
I’ve held off on sending these for a while because I’m having a devil of a time identifying genus and species. Believe me, I’ve spent hours searching images for potential matches, but if I’ve learned one thing, it’s that the world of mushrooms is vast. Talk about your endless forms most beautiful!
I’ll make a stab at the genera of three of the four types represented here:
The first two look like they might be of the genus Panaeolina (foenisecli?). They were growing in rotting leaves in central Texas in the autumn on a misty day, if that helps with identification.
The third picture was taken on the same day in the same location, a few feet from the first mushrooms, but these were growing from a fallen tree limb. Until I tried to look up the Latin binomials I had thought of them as cremé brûlée mushrooms, but I seriously doubt that’s what they’re called. My best guess is Galerina marginata.
The big spongy looking mushrooms were also found in central Texas, although these were taken on a cool Spring morning after a few rainy days, and were growing in the grass. They look like some kind of Boletus. They were partially covered with a soft white mold which is hard to see in the pictures, but looked like snow or frosting from other angles. A fungal fungal infection? One of the mushrooms looks like it has a bite taken out of it, but I wonder what would leave marks like that?
The pictures in the next set were taken in northern Illinois in the fall. These mushrooms were growing on a tree. I apologize for not being able to come up with a latin name for even the genus, but after many searches, the only comparable images I could find were stock photos that didn’t provide any information.
The Boletus with the “bite” taken out of it is the basis for the first–I don’t know what you’d call it–digital distortion, “Necro Borg: Resisting Assimilation”. I worked on this as news of COVID 19 was just starting to spread, and I guess I was picking up on a sense of doom and gloom and sort of an ambient ennui. It kind of gives me the creeps and I’m glad I’m not feeling that way now! (Exercise is your friend!)
The close-up of the mushrooms from Illinois is the basis for the second digital distortion, “Virus X: The Fear Factor”. This was also done right as the world was starting to shut down and there was this feel of a spreading biological menace and a spreading social isolation to combat the menace. The other thing spreading seemed to be fear, for some fear of the coronavirus, for some fear of the containment and isolation, for many, both. Maybe there are two pandemics, one biological and one psychological?
Appreciate the research! I’ve done a bit — had to find a jelly mold — it’s important when deciding to call the poison center or not!
Mushrooms can be of so many variations! This article is so informative and the pictures are so interesting to look at! I will be looking forward to more such articles.
If those second mushrooms aren’t popularly called “cremé brûlée” mushrooms , they now SHOULD be!
Great pictures.
The closest I could find so far is Amanita flavoconia, but it’s just a guess and based on resemblance of internet photos.
Nice photos and picture, thanks!
Bottom picture looks like something I saw after eating a magic mushroom a buddy plucked from a cow pasture outside Gainesville.
It was the Seventies, man.
That image makes me smile. Back then I’d have enjoyed it as a poster.
These little guys pop up here and there, such as after a rain, in surprising places. Like under a pile of leaves. You know the spores and roots are always there just waiting for an opportunity to lift their heads and say hello.
Very interesting set. ‘Shrooms are one of the fun things to look for when hiking this time of year, as there are a bewildering variety. As you know, timing is also everything since in a couple days a given bunch of them will be past their moldy prime.
Very nice! I’d like to put in a plug for a fascinating book I just finished (can’t recall where I heard about it…here??), Entangled Life by Merlin Sheldrake. Taught me a lot about fungi (of course, minimal knowledge before I read it).
Lovely if (in some cases) disturbing photos!
Your art is entertaining, magical and informative ! Thumbs up !
Gorgeous photos and artistic renderings.
These were very nice. This time of year, mushrooms are ubiquitous around here; I still haven’t photographed them. Your photos inspire me to capture some of these fleeting fungi.
I liked the art renditions too, you must be a fun guy. 😉
Here’s something from one who writes about psychedelia: The oldest reference in human history to psychedelic mushrooms comes from cave paintings in Algeria 5,000 years ago. Separate from American and Siberian images from a slightly later time period.
D.A., J.D.
atty/writer
NYC
Beautiful photos of fascinating flora. But I don’t understand the last picture at all. Keep ’em coming.