Happy Mushroom Monday! Today I am happy to share my most recent fungal finds from the woods of Western Michigan, USA, including a relatively rare edible fungi: the Umbrella Polypore (Polyporus umbellatus). Despite a rather lackluster spring mushroom hunting season, I have high hopes for this year's summer season!
After a few weeks of finding little more than the occasional Deer Mushroom (Pluteus cervinus) or Eastern American Platterful Mushroom (Megacollybia rodmanii), the mycological abundance of this region is finally being laid bare. Woods that only a few days prior had shown little in the way of fungal diversity have begun to explode with fresh mushroom fruitings. While I had initially made my way to the woods in search of my first Chicken of the Woods for this year, I was instead rewarded with a much more rare choice edible species, the Umbrella Polypore.
The Umbrella Polypore is a choice edible mushroom species that exhibits a highly branched fruiting body somewhat reminiscent of Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa) but with a much lighter coloration and umbrels that are centrally oriented on their respective stems rather than being offset from their center, as is found in Hen of the Woods. This mushroom is considered to be a choice edible species that many who have tried it regard to be among their favorite edible species. In traditional Chinese folk medicine, the dried sclerotia (an underground mass of hardened fungal tissue used for nutrient storage similar to a tuber in plants) of this species is used as a diuretic as well as an anti-inflamitory and immune booster. In Chinese folk medicine, this dried sclerotia is known as Zhu Ling. I'm excited to cook this mushroom up and add it to my list of edible mushrooms that I have encountered and eaten!
Other notable finds from my trip include a fresh fruiting of Crown-tipped Coral Fungus (Artomyces pyxidatus), another edible species, as well as Dead Man's Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha), and my first Amanitas of the year: the Early Spring Amanita (Amanita praecox).
I'm looking forward to another bountiful summer mushroom season and will continue to update you all with my finds along the way. As always, feel free to offer your suggestions if you believe I have misidentified any of the fungi shown below. Happy Mushroom Monday!
Umbrella Polypore (Polyporus umbellatus):
Dead Man's Fingers (Xylaria polymorpha):
Crown-tipped Coral Fungus (Artomyces pyxidatus):
Early Spring Amanita (Amanita praecox):
Dyer's Polypore (Phaeolus schweinitzii):
Orange Moss Agaric (Rickenella fibula):
Elegant Polypore (Cerioporus varius):
Clustered Bonnet (Mycena inclinata):
Deer Mushroom (Pluteus cervinus):
Eastern American Platterful Mushroom (Megacollybia rodmanii):
Milk-white Toothed Polypore (Irpex lacteus):
Mustard Yellow Polypore (Fuscoporia gilva):
Brittle Cinder (Kretzschmaria deusta):
Vampire's Bane (Mycetinis scorodonius):
Hairy Long Stem Marasmius (Rhizomarasmius pyrrhocephalus):
Stalked Scarlet Cup (Sarcoscypha occidentalis):
Orange Mycena (Mycena leaiana):
Sheathed Woodtuft (Kuehneromyces marginellus):
Neofavolus americanus:
Bresadolia craterella:
Gymnopus subsulphureus:
Psathyrella pseudovernalis:
Genus Xylaria:
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