Happy Mushroom Monday! Today, I'd like to share some photos of fungi found while on vacation in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington, USA. I had the chance to visit the Olympic Peninsula in the beautiful state of Washington just over a week ago to see the rainforests, mountains, and beaches of the Pacific Northwest. From the glacier capped peaks, to the forested covered waterfalls, the views were stunning all around.
While taking in the majesty of the mountains and forests, I also took some time to observe the different fungal species I came across during my travels. Despite including some over the only temperate rainforests in all of the United States, the regions that I visited were shockingly dry during my time in Washington. Even the renowned Hoh Rainforest, a place seldom without some kind of precipitation in a typical year, seemed to not have had seen rain for weeks by the time that I had the chance to walk among the moss-covered giants found within. Because of this apparent drought, I did not come across many fungi apart from the more persistent and hardy shelf fungi that dotted the trunks of these old-growth wonderlands.
The most common species that I encountered by far was the Northern Red-belt (Fomitopsis mounceae) followed closely by the West Coast Reishi (Ganoderma oregonense). Towards the ocean, I was also able to find a few more brightly colored species, including a young Conifer Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus conifericola) as well as Sweetgrass Tooth (Hydnellum suaveolens), a pleasantly fresh smelling species with a conspicuously bright blue stipe.
Even though these were exciting new finds for me that I never would have had the chance to encounter in my home state of Michigan (with the exception of the Northern Red-belt) I was a bit disappointed at the lack of fungal diversity I was able to find in these rainforest ecosystems. That being said, standing in the shadow of centuries old trees along the banks of mountain streams is an experience I know I will want to live again. Another trip is in order, and this next time, I will be sure to time my arrival with the peak of the local mushroom season. I can't wait to see what I will be able to find then.
As always, feel free to offer your suggestions if you believe that I have misidentified any of the species shown below, and until next week, happy Mushroom Monday!
Northern Red Belt (Fomitopsis mounceae):
West Coast Reishi (Ganoderma oregonense):
American Brown Fomitopsis (Fomitopsis ochracea):
Conifer Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus conifericola):
Sweetgrass Tooth (Hydnellum suaveolens):
Artist's Bracket (Ganoderma applanatum):
Dyer's Polypore (Phaeolus schweinitzii):
Oak Bracket (Pseudoinonotus dryadeus):
Woolly Bird's Nest Fungus (Nidula niveotomentosa):
Velvet-footed Pax (Tapinella atrotomentosa):
Puffballs (Genus Lycoperdon):
Oyster Mushrooms (Genus Pluerotus):
Bolete (Family Boletaceae):
Unknown gilled mushroom (Order Agaricales):
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