I have a thousand (a least) of these growing in my lawn. I'd like to know what they are. I've done the research that I am able to do, and have written it below. So I looked in the mushroom tome we've got: The National Audobon Society Field Guide to North american Mushrooms. Out of all, there's only one that looks like a match in the picture. But even then it doesn' have the spotted stalk that is supposed to be there. On the description page, it mentions 4 varieties, some without a spotted stalk...which would be mine. But some are edible, and some are deadly. Hmm. I'd like to know which. If you know....and really know...and can convince me of what mushroom this is, I'd love to know. Thanks! I think this mushroom has attached gills and is veiled. It does NOT have scaled, cause if it did I'd probably be convinced it was the Changing Pholiota of the book, and be eating it. (the name 'Common Large Psilocybe' in the photo below refers to the picture I cut off above it. But if it was one of those I'd have probably tried a bite by now... ;-) Attached are some pics as well as the plate and desc. in the field guide. Thanks!
Looks like some kind of Armillaria (which would probably be called Armillaria mellea). What kind of tree are they under?
I agree with MycoRob that they're Armillaria. Died you have a tree recently die, or get cut down ? These are a disease of trees, called armillaria root rot. There is nothing you can do about it, and the mushrooms are edible and good, an dwill fruit repeatedly for years. You will be unable to kill the fungus where it is already established. If you get any tree work done, you should have all cuts coated with some sort of antifungal tree dressing, so that there are not new avenues created for the fungus or spores to invade other trees. I suspect that dirty chainsaws, especially those of tree professionals who will cut many trees in many places are responsible for tremendous spread of this disease. Drying does not kill such fungi. People who are frugal and do their own work are at less risk for such contamination.
I have to agree with Armarilla sp. I've been collecting them individually this year instead of in large clusters like I'd normally do. Do they have a white spore? If you dig up a cluster...they should be tightly compacted, much like you'd see the store-bought Enoki, with the roots really not wanted to be seperated from the ground. You will be able to hold them like a flower 'bloom'......
Thank you for your replies! Yes, some populars had been cut in recent years, and the stumps are there, some with mushrooms. As the weather here in Massachusetts has been really wet, I thought there was a chance that a mushroom that normally populates stumps could spread. (?) I'm away for a bit, but will look into this more when I return. Thanks again!
