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Wood Ear or Cup Fungus?


ZachM

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I signed up here because I found this patch of weird shrooms in my yard and always love free treats.

After doing lots of checking I believe it is horn of plenty or Cantharellus cornucopoides.

The patch is between a Live Oak and a dead tree I can't ID:

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Pics of the Patch:

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You can see the dead root here:

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More:

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In a plate fresh:

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Dried and frozen:

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While they look rather flat and shapeless. They are actually conical and distinctly funneled individually and had to be split at the joints in order to clean them.

Texture is smooth to leathery on top side of cap and smooth to suede on the underside.Smells very earthy.

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Appears to me to be tree ears. They do not look anything like blk trumpets to me in the photos. Also the habitat is wrong for blk trumpets. I have only ever found blk trumpets outside the woods only one time and that was on a railroad grade and even then they were on the edge of the woods. Blk trumpets smell fruity and not earthy, also blk trumpets are not leathery at all. Blk trumpets do not grow on wood.

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Zach's mushrooms look like a cup fungus, possibly Diaciotis venosa, although it seems late in the season for this species to occur in Louisiana. Species of Peziza typically have brittle/easily-broken flesh. There are other genera of fungi which include good-sized cups.

These do look like Tree Ears (Auricularia). But this type always grows directly on wood... not on the ground.

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I see the tree root now, John. Actually, I wonder if it may be a partially buried tree branch. Zach, are you certain it's a buried root? The only Auricularia (Tree Ears) I've seen grew from wood elevated well above the ground level. But I suppose it's possible for an infected dead branch to fall and get partly covered over.

There are numerous North American cup fungi occupying diverse genera, and at any given time April-October (in my area) some type may be fruiting. So, although these look like Tree Ears, I think there are many reasonable possibilities.

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I see some examples now and undoubtedly I was mistaken. In my rather uninformed search I looked at just the weird lack of gills and color which is now more red(when rains are recent) than dark purple as they first appeared.

Dave W: I hadn't thought to dig around to see. I will check. I will say it's not recently covered, it appears like a root or a well preserved but buried fallen branch.

Is there spore print method with such a strange fungi?

They are continuing to grow despite being partially dried each rain break. a 3rd patch along the same root/branch line is appearing now.

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We don't know yet whether you have an ascomycota or a basidiomycota (major fungal classifications). So, to get a spore print, place at least one fruit body "upside up" on the spore collection medium and at least one other "upside down".Sometimes, spore are slow to drop, or maybe they never do drop in sufficient numbers to make a good print. Allow for at least one day. But check occasionally to be certain the mushrooms are not rotting.

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OK will do. Today was rainy and humid so tomorrow I will cull a young and old specimen. Out of the names I've seen here "wood ear" seems to fit the description. Looking more closely today at the root/branch has me leaning towards it being a buried branch. It appears to have bark though I'm hesitant to go disturbing the mycelium.

On another note: Thanks everyone for looking and giving your time to help. I am not versed in mycology but I am an excellent student and I will learn as much as you all are willing to teach. Born in the northeast and transplanted to the wonderful south means this outdoor man has much to explore. Louisiana is like a mushroom wonderland with rain and humidity 90% of the year. I must know everything I can about this land.

Thanks again! Here's to looking back at this post and poking fun at my inexperience!

One Q for the mods: Can I or you change this thread name to something more fitting? Say: "Wood ear on Ground!?"

Because given just the info I've received from these much more experienced users, that is what I would have titled this to begin with and I feel sheepish with such a bold title so wildly incorrect.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Tried and failed to collect a sporeprint. I'm using the right method I think, clean plate with alcohol, put down specimen, cover with sterile cup/jar/etc?

I dug around the root/branch and am leaning towards root again, there are others similar to this and it is dying but still has strength. The root/branch is normal peach shaded wood that is soft where the fungus grows but solid 1/4 way down either as a buried, cured branch or a damaged/dying root.

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When attempting to obtain a spore print, lay down one lobe with one side facing down and another lobe with the other side facing down. It can be difficult to tell which side of a Tree Ear is the fertile surface. Also, if possible use both white and black surfaces to potentially collect spores. This allows you to see a thin print regardless of the color.

It is often the case that no spores fall, especially with a young or too old specimen.

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