ChickenOfTheWoodz

Hello again all. I am new, as you may have guessed. I found this in the yard near the edge of the woods. I am not exactly using the most scientific microscope, but who can complain for 3$. Regardless, I have included some mic pics. If anyone can help me understand what it is I am exactly looking at here, that would be great. I am fairly sure some are spore but there seems to be a lot of detritus on the slide as well. The first four photos are from a cross section of the pileus. My guess is that it is an Amanita vaginata, given the lack of ring, location, (other amanitas in the yard), the vulva, the color, etc. But that is just a guess. Thank you.

I think this looks like a Strobilomyces or other Boletale. It is full of insects and slugs but was it this black prior to being eaten? Just curious. Thoughts? Thank you.

I found this one in the SE U.S. summer season. It seems saprobic. Gills free. No discernible annulus but so small and delicate that it could be tricky to see? I couldn't get the base given the delicate nature of the stipe. Very fragile and nearly transparent. Taking a spore print now, planning to update with a spore print. Thoughts?

Also, can we rule out X.Campanella? I am asking for a friend. Just kidding, I am asking because of the more southerly origin.

Definitely not hygrophanous. The brown pileus was just as brown when dried. I looked up Xeromphalina c, and noted it is seems more common in the NW U.S. and less so on the East Coast. What really made my jaw drop was the medicinal research that has been done on it. Amazing!!!! Thank you again Dave W. https://healing-mushrooms.net/archives/xeromphalina-cauticinalis.html

Hello NInja, *I am not an expert* I am new and probably not much help but I think you may have multiple species here. Though the photo is helpful given their habitat, I would want to see more of the anatomy to get a better idea of things like the gills/pores and their connection to the stem, the base of the stem (stipe), the bruising if any, close-ups photos, and a good pic of the spore print. Basically, I am just saying that more information would be super helpful. Do you have more detailed pics? You may want to look at mushrooms that grow in nutrient rich soil/dung. Dung, given that your turtle lives in there. I have read that Protostropharia semiglobata grows in such and it has a "ring" on the stipe with "purple-black" spore prints, though I am in no way saying any of these are such, it could be one of many varieties. I am just trying to point you in a direction to help you rule out or add in possible answers. You may wish to look up look-a-likes of other mushrooms that have a similar appearance/size and cross-reference the details like spore prints and such. I wouldn't eat them. Good luck!!!!

The last photo was taken in situ. Sadly, the pileus dried overnight before dropping enough spores to get a visible print. I may try again in the future. I placed the moss covered decaying cedar with the specimens (first and third photos) in a bottle with a tablespoon of water in hopes to keep it alive. Not sure this will be successful but worth a try.

I found this today. I am fairly sure this is a Tubaria furfuracae. These little brown mushrooms were quite gregarious. Can anyone confirm? The spore print is in process, if needed. Thank you:D

Thank you SVS, I am quite new and wanted to be sure to ask instead of risking mistakes.

Thank you again Dave W, Yes the first three ( harvested Amanita) pictures, are actually the same as the the 5th and 6th. I harvested the mushroom on an five hour hike on a hot day. Then rode home for an hour. The white hue turned more yellowish for some reason, as did the poor thing wilt seriously in a ziploc bag of the trip home. There are before and after pics (1,2,3,5,6,) and the fourth picture was of a neighboring Destroying Angel Aminita that was fairly easy to identify in the field, that I was showing in comparison. I apologize for the confusion. I really appreciate your help. Thank you.

Thank you Dave. Are all Strobilomyces called "Old Man of The Woods?

Very cool Quinn. I am new as well and I have no idea what that is but if I stumble across anything to support your guess, I will pass it on to you. Have fun.

New and trying to collect, Identify, and study mushrooms on my own for fun, not for eating. I have some concern about studying the more poisonous mushrooms. How dangerous is it to handle species like Amanita or bring them into the study room? There are no young people around, wear gloves while collecting and studying them, collect and transport them in a ziploc, and wash my hands and surfaces after the fact. Somewhere I read that one has to ingest the fruit to get sick and that the spores don't really create a danger so I am just trying to be careful when I do handle them for spore printing etc. What advice do you more experienced mushroom hunters have for a noob on studying the more sinister of the mushroom species? Thank you.

OMG Cajun, that sounds pretty awful. I bet you won't do that again. Glad everyone was OK over all, though.

I found this southeastern U.S. Strobilomyces today. Not sure if it is an Old Man of The Woods or is that a generic term for all Strobilomyces? Not unlike the Amanita, sorting out the subspecies seems a bit elusive from the macro observations and online reference searching. Can anyone confirm, please? Guessing: Strobilomyces confusus Strobilomyces dryophilus Observations: 1) Growing under a conifer. 2) Summer Southeastern U.S. Summer Season. 3) Prickly looking pileus. 4) Woody looking stipe. 5) Polypore. 6) Gray/brown spore print. 7) Stipe was firm. 😎 Smelled like a fresh mushroom. (A. bisporus) 9) Pileus was approximately 3 inches in diameter. 10) No neighboring mushroom were obvious. 11) Stipe was fibrous internally. 12) The specimen darkened (as seen in the pics) on the way home. Thank you.