1shotwade Posted September 14, 2015 Report Share Posted September 14, 2015 I got out a bit but no real time to hunt. I did run across a couple things.I'm thinking the one pix is ringless honeys but I need confirmation from you guys that I'm on it or not since I have never found them before.These were growing off a root from a dead sweet gum in just about the same place i had found old ones that y'all thought were honeys.The cluster is about 6" wide and the caps are about 1" max.Hope you can see the gill structure on the one I picked and put with the cluster. I just drove by the big oak where I had found 2 berkley's this year and found this other thing,what ever it is! I was back there last friday but didn't see it then so I assume it was the same chocolate color it is now. It was growing off the root system of a large,dying white oak.It appears to be pretty far along and it is releasing white spores.Anyone have a clue what this is? I don't think I have ever seen a sroom this color. It is much softer than the berkley's but I really have no clue. Now's your time to shine y'all! What have I found? Thanks, Wade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted September 15, 2015 Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 Cluster of mushrooms are Honeys. The one inverted one shows no ring, and the others remind me of the ringless Honey, Armillaria tabescens. Partial direct sunshine in the photo creates a lot of glare. I don't know the polypore. It's built like Berkeley's, but the color and surface aren't right for this type. Black Staining Polypore should have paler fronds with black stains. There's a brown species that's in the same genus as Berkeley's, Bondarzewia montana. But this is reported as a western NA species. Wade, given that you had previously found Berkeley's in the same spot, I wonder if it's just an unusually dark Berkeley's. But looking at online photos of B. montana, this species appears to match the ones seen here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1shotwade Posted September 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 Dave- I even though this was harvested within 6' of the Berkley's,it doesn't have the same characteristics. This appears to be more closely related to the sulfureus in it's structure.The Berkley's were much larger,very thick (3/4 inch) frond,and berkley's have a "rubbery" texture. This on the other hand is smaller with thin fronds with sharper edges,much lighter weight per volume with similar markings on the top of the fronds like unto Sulfureus as opposed to Berkley's.(The lines of different shades of brown as the sulfureus has) After searching google images,I am convinced this is the Bondarzewia Montana. The remaining question is if this is important enough to try and get a sample to someone to confirm what exactly it is!If in fact this is not known in the eastern US,what if any actions should be take now to help ID/document this find? I can't help laughing at myself considering in our last conversation I had mentioned I hardly ever find fungi associated with Oaks! Thanks, Wade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted September 15, 2015 Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 Yeah, oaks associate with lots of fungi types. Are there longish stalks connected to the polypore(s)? If this is B. montana, then that's an interesting find. I would dry/preserve a sample. But I have no idea where to send it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1shotwade Posted September 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 No stalks here Dave! Just a single contact point with the ground/underground root. It is about 2 1/2 " across.I have selected a couple fronds to dehydrate. Wish I knew what to do with them after that.There should be a network available to increase the knowledge level of fungi throughout the country,I just don't know how to access that info. Interestingly enough,as you can see in the picture the under side of this fungi was an off white/grey but after spending the night in the fridg it has turned a dark rich chocolate! I have no idea if this could be an identifier or not. Wade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasso Posted September 15, 2015 Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 I'm thinking it's black staining polypore. Check the bottom picture on the right in this link: http://www.mushroomexpert.com/meripilus_sumstinei.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1shotwade Posted September 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 This is certainly a distinct possibility seeing the black staining poly is to have white spore which this one does have. I don't understand why I did not get any staining from handling ot cutting it unless the staining no longer occurs at a certain age. The Bondarzewia montana is supposed to have an olive spore print. Would anyone know it the staining is less prominent with age or any other factors that would help ID this sroom? Wade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave W Posted September 15, 2015 Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 Looks like the photo suggested by Tasso is a real nice fit. Apparently, M. sumstinei fronds spread out, become thinner, and darken as the mushroom ages. It's likely that the staining reaction may also slow down or cease altogether in a post-mature example. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1shotwade Posted September 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 Thanks y'all ! it's really nice to have a site to go to with questions and find so many people willing to step up and help. Hopefully I'll be of more help in the future. After finding the polypore I decided I really should go out and look at my oaks.Just maybe I don't find fungi near oaks because I don't pay enough attention to them! Besides,bow season opens in 2 weeks and I need to see what the mast availability is.I checked every oak on our property and found not one mushroom! Disappointing! I also found no mast. I have one read oak with a few acorns and that's it. At least i know not to hunt over oaks this year. Funny how things work out. I set my goals this year to finding and IDing chantrellas,hens and trumpets which is all new to me. Instead(thus far) I have found berkley's,black staining poly's,old man of the woods,cinncinnatus,honey's and lots of chickens along with the chanty's and cinnabars but on hens(yet) or trumpets!And thanks to y'all I haven't poisoned myself (yet)! Thanks for the help guys. Y'all have mad this a really friendly site! Wade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tasso Posted September 15, 2015 Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 Wade, Don't give up on hens just yet. I see you're in SE Indiana so it is probably still too warm there for hens to pop. Cooler , fall weather should bring them out. Remember, look on oaks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1shotwade Posted September 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 15, 2015 Well I haven't given up but it's a bit discouraging,especially since someone(don't remember who) just posted this week that they are being found in northern Illinois.Actually,I'm quite pleased at the knowledge I have gained this year.It's a bit selfish I guess but when i hear about hens tasting better than morels,well, that's the limit for me! I've got to try me some! Wade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.