Stropharia in February

Discussion in 'Fungi, Lichens and Slime Molds' started by vitog, Feb 13, 2010.

  1. vitog

    vitog Contributor 10 Years

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    Today, while strolling along the Trans-Canada Trail on Burnaby Mountain, I noticed several Stropharia ambigua in the woods near the trail. These were sizable, fresh specimens that had recently emerged from the ground. They are very common in the fall, but I don't remember seeing them in the spring before. They are described as a fall and winter mushroom in the literature; so I wonder if their presence is due to the unusually mild winter and early spring we're having. Has anyone noticed these mushrooms in early spring previously? Salmonberries and Indian Plums are starting to bloom in the area. Thanks.
     
  2. Frog

    Frog Generous Contributor Forums Moderator 10 Years

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    I haven't seen them in early spring before, I'm looking forward to seeing them! Yesterday we saw fresh Nolaneas, Hebelomas, Galerinas and Mycenas! A hedgehog and some yellowfeet also, but given their condition they were holdovers from last year.
     
  3. C.Wick

    C.Wick Active Member

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    I've always loved the cap edges to this species...did you get any photos by chance?
    Mushrooms for us right now...with snow on the ground...have mostly been polypores, Stereum species.....Flammulina velutipes and Gallerina are really the only mushrooms so far.
    I've a 'winter' mushroom that I've yet to ID...a type of Pluteus possibly. Molds are really the main thing in my area with snow melt...but with the temps dipping so low in the night time and day hours being dry...not much in the woderful world of fungi here.
     
  4. vitog

    vitog Contributor 10 Years

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    I didn't have my camera with me because I didn't have any expectations of finding anything worth photographing. We've been getting a lot of rain, which washed off most of the flakey material on the stems, but they still had the typical ragged cap edges and remnants of a ring on the stem. Our unusually warm weather is starting to bring up more typical early spring mushrooms, like small Coprinus species, which are now abundant in places.
     
  5. Psathyrellaceae

    Psathyrellaceae Member

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    I see Stropharia ambigua in the Fall, Winter, and Spring in Northern California.
     
  6. vitog

    vitog Contributor 10 Years

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    We've been having Northern California weather this Winter; so I guess its not surprising to have some mushrooms responding this way. Now, if only we could be finding Morels in February.
     

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