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'Little help please?


1shotwade

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Hey y'all! had a chance to go out and play a bit today. It's very dry,but I did find a couple.The pix of the single growing cluster is something I don't think I have ever seen before.I guess,since I am new at this it could be a well known but not to me.It is growing on the decaying root of our huge white oak,about 18" from the trunk.The color is somewhat similar to the cinncinnatus but the shape is not.It appears to be a single mass stem totaling 8" x 10" and maybe 6" tall.The coloration on the top is more of a brown than pink with the rest an off white to cream.I did not select a sample because it is all one piece. I just checked this tree 2 days ago so this is still quite early growth.Any ideas what it is or advice on what to watch for in the growth process that will help ID it?

The other pix is of a "fresher" s'room similar to the post in "it's a mystery" than we concluded was a ringless honey mushroom. I will try to spore print this one but it appears to be beyond eatable. My understanding is that if it prints "white" it should be the Honey.Is this correct?It was growing in a wooded area near a pond and had a southern exposure and was a cluster of about 15-20 individual s'rooms rising from the same spot,as the other was in the previous post.As stated,it is beyond eating so a good guess might be OK if you aren't sure.

Thanks for the help Y'all!

Wade

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Well I've been through every picture book I have access to and can't find a thing that is even remotely close to this thing.My only wild guess would be it is a "cauliflower mushroom" in it's earliest stage of development,and that doesn't seem to fit either.

Wade

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Hi Wade...your first shot is perhaps too early to tell in this stage. It might be an early growth of a chicken of the woods, it could be a dyers polypore, an Albatrellus, but in this stage it is close to impossible. Keep an eye on it and take more photos as it progresses. the second photo I have no idea. Is the color accurate?

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post-1125-0-89179300-1438880567_thumb.jpgpost-1125-0-91946900-1438880596_thumb.jpgpost-1125-0-42579000-1438880625_thumb.jpgpost-1125-0-94126300-1438880640_thumb.jpgI guess it's possible it is in the sulfur shelf family.If so it would have to be the cinncinnatus with a strange color variant.I am sure this is in the early stages of development but it is already 10x8x6.It has more mas than anything like it I have ever seen.Casual observance reminds you of home made baked bread. Like someone mad biscuits that were stuck together when baked.

I forgot to mention on the other pix that the color didn't come out right.The gills are not pink as they appear.They appear to be brown (kind of a staining that comes as it ages.I'll re-post the pix along side the others I had found previously for comparison.

Wade

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post-1125-0-55879300-1438987697_thumb.jpgAll the pix I could find on line and in 4 guides,the only thing that close is cinncinnatus which I don't think it is ,weeping polyspore or northern tooth. And none are very close at all.I guess we will have to wait a bit longer and maybe it'll show it's true colors.

On another note,I did get a spore print from the other sroom and here's a pix. We were looking for white if it were a Honey mushroom and this is quite yellow. Hope you can see it on the photo.Do y'all get this kind of liquid when you try to get a spore print? Seems like a lot and it all came from the mushrooms themselves.

Well y'all,any ideas on either of these?

Thanks,

Wade

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Difficult to tell at this early stage, but I'm thinking it might be Meripilus sumstinei, the black staining polypore.

You very well could be right on this one. I got on google images and found a couple with similar features.A couple other sited indicated a white spore print and a very eatable flavor of steak or liver when young.I sure would like to confirm this thing one way or another before it gets too old to use if it is eatable! Any advise?Should I try handling it to see if it stains or maybe cut a piece off to try a spore print? I have only done one so,don't exactly know what I'm doing.

Thanks,

Wade

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Wade, you haven't shown the underside of your find. However, it seems to be a polypore of some variety. As far as I'm aware none are toxic, so cutting a chunk off and trying it should give you some idea of the edibility. At worst it may be woody or unpleasant flavoured. Again a small peice for testing. This will also give an indication of staining, odour and any other keys.

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Rob-Thanks for replying. I didn't want to disturb it to try and photo the under side but if you go to the original pix (click on it and it will enlargen) there are 3-4 places that show the development underneath.I guess I'll try and get back there and give it a test taste and go from there.

Thanks,

Wade

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I thing we are back at square #1 . I just went back and cut a sliver off it and in one hour did not develop a stain of any sort.It had no decerneable smell or taste.No "Bite" or bitterness at all,even after 20 minutes with it in my mouth.It is a heavy,full bodied,moist and meaty texture.I just have no idea.I tend to believe it is an eatable but am too inexperienced to chance it without a better ID.I'll take any help I can get in this one.

Thanks,

Wade

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Since it didn't stain, I think Evan is on the right track. Perhaps another picture when it's more developed will help solve the mystery.

At this point that is my intent but let me ask,how long can i expect these type mushrooms to remain good? I have found some stemed srooms that appear to be too far along after only a couple days.

Thanks,

Wade

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Thanks Evan. Everything I have read so far indicates they are pretty much overlooked for the most part due to their lack of a distinctive flavor and suggests marinating prior to cooking to add some flavor. I will say based on my taste test this appears to be true. I am leaning toward trying this at some point so would be interested in hearing anyone's opinion that has tried them in the past.

Thanks,

Wade

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Nice discussion, and I agree with the conclusions.

Berkeley's Polypore starts out as a more-or-less shapeless mass and slowly expands into semi-circular rather thick sheets. Wade's second photo looks like an intermediate stage.

Gilled mushrooms look like A. tabescens. Gills maturing decurrent and developing a reddish-brown stain support this proposal.

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Welcome back Dave! We have missed you,but as you can see,we have survived! Thanks or your input here. It's been a great conversation and learning experience or me.

Please clarify your agreement with it being a ringless honey. I have a yellow spore print and all I have read ,it should be a white spore print. Not questioning your judgement,just trying to understand,since I have read the spore color will never change.

Secondly,since this will be my first time trying a berkleys,how should i prepare it. You know i it don't taste good my wife won't let me back in the house with another one! (oops! I just got busted! She saw that!) LOL! After tasting it and reading up on it,I expect it will be similar to the giant puffball,which is OK but nothing to rave about. Any ideas would be great!

Thanks y'all,

Wade

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Wow... glad you responded quickly, Wade. Actually, I recently spoke with someone who claims to have been sickened by eating Berkeley's (young material). I have eaten Berkenley's only once. I just fried up slices of young material with some onions. I thought it good. One is hard-pressed to find recipes for a mushroom so rarely eaten.

If the spore print for the clustered gilled mushrooms is indeed yellow, then Armillaria is ruled out. Armillaria have creamy-white prints. Yellow spore print on these stumps me!

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Thanks Dave! I think I'll go ahead and harvest the polypore before it starts getting touch.I'll try your suggestion on fixing it.

I just wish I had an idea what the gills srooms are since I have found 3 flushes already.

Thanks,

Wade

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OK guys,it's your lucky day. You not only get to see the berkleys after harvest(about 15 pounds) but my handsome (Big for his age) 4 year old grandson. And some aged ugly guy with him!

If you don't hear from me again,you'll know not to eat these!

Wade

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OK, here's the deal. Got it all cleaned up which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be,removing grass,leaves,sticks. Very few bugs.only 4-5. The surprise is it seems after harvest,they enjoy staining brown with just a touch,although it did not stain when cut.Fooled me!I probably lost 4 pounds in the core and ended up with all you can fit on a cookie sheet pan.

My wife had just fixed Kalbossi so I stole the skillet and fried up about 1/4 pound with caramelized onion, garlic powder,black pepper and salt. It's pretty good. I was surprised that even after cooking long enough to "sizzle off" the water,when you bite into it,it is a bit rubbery(so should have gotten it earlier?) but it seems to seal in the moisture.I use black pepper on everything but ice cream but I should back off just a bit on this mushroom. Other than that we are all still living!

Hope this helps someone out there decide to try it!

Wade

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Great story Wade. I like the steps you followed; pictures, queries on the internet, book research, following growth progression, small sample, and then, when sure, a proper taste test. Near perfect i.d. steps for a new find !

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Nice job Wade.

I'm still wondering about those gilled mushrooms. Do you have a piece of white glass or white plastic which you could use to collect a spore print? I'd really like to see the print color against a white backdrop. A porous surface could cause liquid to leach out of the mushroom and cause the print to stain.

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