Feral Boy

Chanterelles never grow from wood. They also don't grow in clumps of greater than perhaps two or three.

I agree. Enjoy!

Cortinarius violaceus is also supposed to be edible. It is a VERY dark purple all over. I've only found that once. There are a LOT of other purple corts, so I'd probably not try it, either.

Spore color is enough to eliminate Cortinarius, which have a darker, rusty brown.

Another variant that you may find is a yellow version of the ringless honey mushroom, Armillaria tabescens :

From what I know, Chaga only grows on birch trees, and perhaps a couple others -- hop hornbeam is supposed to be one. Most of the lookalikes are found on other trees. I am not completely sure if EVERY black lump you find on birch will be chaga, but chances are good. Just be sure it has NO structure at all, like tubes, but looks just like a lump of charcoal on the outside, with a brown center.

Twankburger -- Here is an online glossary of mycological terms for your reference. http://www.mushroomexpert.com/glossary.html

Kathy Yerich gave one to me after we forayed together at the NEMA Foray in Black Mountain, NC. It fits perfectly in your back jeans pocket, and is very informative. I like it that every species description includes lookalikes that it may be confused with.

If you find any of these questionable fungi, I will dispose of them for you, safely.

Gerronema may be rare, except for where you find a lot of them! (like the Midwest)

Look for tiny dark hairs in the center of the cap. Looks similar to Armillaria tabescens to me, especially if they were growing in large groups.

Yesterday, southeast Missouri. The round basket is mine. Over 200 between John McDonough and myself!

Morels are finally popping all over Missouri. I found a nice black up near Saint Louis, and this weekend am hunting near Poplar Bluff. Should be some nice meals next week!

I found these with my late father-in-law, Donald Arnett, in the late 1990s, most of them around one big dead elm. This is the find that got me hooked on morels.

My teaser ...