Hypomyces lateritius

Hypomyces lateritius is a fungus that parasitizes milkcaps - altering their form and texture, replacing their gills with its own smooth spore-bearing surface.

Hypomyces lateritius growing on Lactarius deterrimus

Lactarius deterrimus - uninfected fruiting bodies

Lactarius deterrimus

Lactarius deterrimus - carrot-orange milkcap

 These are Lactarius detrrimus - an orange milk cap that exudes carrot-orange milk from its gills. 

Lactarius deterrimus - carrot-orange milkcap

They usually become riddled with maggots very soon after emerging from the ground. 

Lactarius deterrimus - carrot-orange milkcap

As they age, the caps discolour this distinctive shade of blue-green.

Tiny Little Rowan Tree

Fencepost of the Week #124

False Truffle

Elaphomyces granulatus - false truffle

Like regular truffles, false truffles grow underground and rely on mammals to sniff them out and dig them up for spore dispersal. To this end, they smell quite interesting, but are not considered good to eat (for humans.)

Bulbous Honey Fungus

Another kind of honey fungus coming up now - I think this one is bulbous honey fungus - Armillaria gallica.

Armillaria gallica - bulbous honey fungus

Armillaria gallica - bulbous honey fungus

Fish Egg Slime Mould

What strange things you can find in the woods! This one is Tubilifera arachnoidea - a slime mould whose plasmodium stage rather resembles fish eggs...

Bay Polypore

Monday Mushroom #108

Lots of bay polypores fruiting at the moment. They come up pale pale and soft, then harden to a leathery texture and begin to take on the colouration for which they are named.

Bay polypore - Polyporus badius

Bay polypore - Polyporus badius - freshly emerged fruiting bodies.