Wondering if someone might have thoughts on these. These were all within about 10 yards of each other, growing under mostly hemlocks, but also near oaks and birches. A stream was nearby and the ground was fairly open with few understory plants at all. The first I have no idea about. I went back a second time to see if they had possibly opened the caps a bit, but instead they were rather withered, so I think this is the mature fungus. Update...I've found that it is a Cordyceps, so now am just unsure about the species.:-) The second I think is a Lactarius, but I'm not sure about a species. I did try to get a spore print, but without much luck. The third/fourth was one of several clumps spread around the immediate area. I did try a spore print with these as well. The cap was sticky, so I'm not sure if the tan marks I got were just from sticky gills or the spores. :-) Thanks very much for any ideas. Steve
A ?... On the the 3rd and 4th image...is there a chance these had rings or webbing? I'm falling on the lines of a kind of Cort but not sure.....
Thanks for the response, C.Wick. No, I don't think there was either. I have one other image, but there isn't a ring or web. I just looked through Barron and Roody and didn't see a cort in either that resembled these. But I'll look through some of my other books and see if there might be one in those. Thanks.
The hygrophanous cap on #3 reminds me of a Collybia. Gills on #2 are think and distant enough to make me think of a Hygrophorus, although it is probably an old specimen and the cap shape is probably atypical. I have no clue on #1; Harri, are you out there?
Cordyceps canadensis. The others are difficult. Cheers, Harri Harmaja http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/users/harmaja/about_myself.htm
Thanks Harri. I tentatively had the Cordyceps as capitata, but I think the two are hard to tell apart without a microscope? Is there a visual difference I should be looking for?
Going with MycoRob's idea, I think number three/four is Gymnopus aka Collybia acervatus. I'm still at a loss for number two though. There were several growing singly in this area and this is a reasonably fresh sample. Thanks for everyone's input.
The Gym's sure have been copious in my area this year. My first time being able to ID them as I can't remember ever seeing any in the wild before. Your Collybia acervatus just may be the mark! Are you getting a lot of rainfall/moisture in the area? Interesting that you have a lot of lactarius still.........in my area we get them late spring to summer as long as there's rain. This year....hardly any since it was so dry here.
We did have a fair amount when these shots were taken. I was there the other day and everything's pretty withered. All of the Lactarius are long gone now. I'm glad you've been seeing the Gymnopus so much. They're very attractive 'shrooms.
