Identification: What's this unusual fungus from Down Under?

G'Day from Australia,

Does anyone know what this fungus might be? It is growing in a dry climate with about 10" (25cm) of rain a year and hasn't been seen there before.

Thank you very much.


John Dengate

PS, we had the best time a few years ago in BC - the forests, the salmon, the birds, the food - all great!

 

We would need to see the underside and probably a spore print to identify most mushrooms. A wild guess would be Phaeolepiota aurea, but I don't know if it grows in Australia.

 

Thanks Vitog,

Yes it's not the greatest info on which to base an ID. Some mycological colleagues here have just said it looks like a Gymnopilus junonius - also called laughing Jim because of the hallucinogens. I think you get them in some parts of Canada and US.

kind regards,


John D

 

This does not look characteristic of a Gymnopilus. I suspect your spore print will be pale brown or even white.

 

Hi Rob,

the spores from gymnopilus here seem to be a light brown. Is that the same as in BC?

 

Gymnopilus junonius (formerly G. spectabilis) has a bright rusty orange spore print.

 

Here is a paper a couple of my students wrote. Very pertinent to this thread.

 

Thanks Rob, I'm trying to get some more detail on the local one. Is it possible that Aussie versions of Gymnopilus could have brownish spores??

 

Spore color should be the most invariable part of the specimen across locations.

Another major characteristic of the Gymnopilus is odor: a strong sweet fruity smell.