Backyard Fungi... Have about 8 acres of South-central Ontario woodland. Have many photos of all types of fungi...but the one of interest is Hericium coralloides ...coral fungus. The second and third photos are of a large smelly fungus, for which I have yet to find positive ID... Have been looking for a Canadian forum to educate myself. Amazed and the number of different fungi I've found and hope to find others who are doing similar searches to share my info in exchange for theirs.
You will have better luck with mushroom ID if you use the Fungi, Lichens, and Slime Molds Forum. The bolete in the first two photos is difficult to identify; a better picture of the underside would be useful, as well as information about staining and taste. The Hericium is likely H. coralloides, but it appears to be an older specimen with decaying teeth. The length of the teeth distinguish H. coralloides from H. americanum.
Thanks vitog. Checking it out. btw...the underside is porous..it does not have gills. the stype is white..doesn't have a bulbous base or a collar...(from what I could see anyway) and I resisted the taste test because the thing smells like carrion and concerns that it is poisonous. Went back to check on it and it's now a pile of black gooo. It's growing beneath tall hemlock, in an area with oaks, maples, and beech, in an area of forest floor newly exposed by the demise of a large hemlock tree.
You'll have to wait for a fresh specimen to appear for identification of the bolete. Tasting a piece is not dangerous as long as you spit it out and don't swallow it. Many of them stain blue or some other color when cut or bruised.
We have had two killing frosts in the last week, Vitog...will not have a chance to do the taste test til next year. (^o^) It's defining characteristic was the odour...and although it's not very visible in the photo the top was bluish around the damaged edges. thanks again.
