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Fungi Photos Group E
Cordyceps cranstounii to Cortinarius sinapicolor
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Cordyceps cranstounii, one of various parasitic "Vegetable Caterpillar" fungi. All Cordyceps infect a live moth larva living in tree roots, kills it, then when the food supply is exhausted, it sends up lace-like branched tissue to the ground surface, giving a small cluster of club-like fruiting bodies (20 mm). An ascomycete, it shows apertures (ostioles) of tiny spore-bearing containers on the surface of the fruit body. It also infects the fruit bodies of a related Cordyceps, C. robertsii. Vic Museum ref Dom Dom Saddle, 2007. 38 kB
Cordyceps gunnii, "Dark Vegetable Caterpillar" (still attached to mummified moth larva). Like all Cordyceps, this parasitic fungus infects an insect, being an underground moth larva, feeding on it until it dies. Then the fungus grows up to the surface, producing a fruit body, to 100 mm, as an elongated, club-shaped olive green fertile surface merging smoothly to a yellowish stem. An ascomycete, found in SE forests, especially near mature wattles, whose roots attract the moth larvae. Native to Australia. NOTE: C. gunni and C. hawkesii are now regarded as synonymous. ANBG ref ABRS ref Hopetoun Falls, Otway Ranges, 2008. 77 kB
Cordyceps hawkesii, "Fawn Vegetable Caterpillar" is similar to C. gunni, parasitic on underground larve which feed on the roots of especially wattle trees. Club-shaped, but the fertile surface is a light fawn colour, with an obvious demarkation from the pale creamy-brown stem. Height to 70 mm, attached to an underground process attached to the mummified larva. Cosmopolitan. NOTE: C. gunni and C. hawkesii are now regarded as synonymous. Ned's Gully, Cathedral Range, 2007. 68 kB
Cordyceps robertsii, another "Vegetable Caterpillar", cosmopolitan. To 100 mm high, these single or branched fruit bodies arise via an underground stem from a mummified moth larva, especially near wattle trees. In various shades of brown, the lower visible stems have a clear demarkation from the conical, pointy fertile surfaces. NZ Landcare ref Kaimai ref Dom Dom Saddle, 2007. 33 kB
Cordyceps robertsii - see previous. This specimen is infected by the lighter coloured Cordyceps cranstounii (see above). Dom Dom Saddle, 2007. 46 kB
Cortinarius archeri, a common and widespread Cortinarius, mycorrhizal with eucalypts. Caps to 100 mm, spore print rust-brown. Cap and stem very glutinous at first, drying to satiny, can fade from purple to almost tan brown, broadly umbonate at first. Gills rusty brown, covered by a pale cobweb-like veil when young. Stem sturdy with a pronounced membraneous ring which is often rusty with spores. ANBG ref Jack Cann Reserve, Blackwood, 2007. 73 kB
Cortinarius areolatoimbricatus, a thick, fleshy, robust (cap to 150 mm) fungus with a patchy, scaly cap, often in dense clumps. Gills pale fawn to rusty brown, spore print rusty brown. Stem thick, no ring. Mycorrhizal with eucalypts, common and widespread. Blue Swami ref Devil Bend Reservoir, Mornington Peninsula, 2007. 47 kB
Cortinarius areolatoimbricatus - see previous. Devil Bend Reservoir, Mornington Peninsula, 2008. 59 kB
Cortinarius australiensis, cap 200 mm or more, almost flat when mature with inturned edge, viscid young, satinish when older. Gills brownish, close; stem stout with larger base, prominent ring often stained with rusty brown spores. Spore print rusty brown. Common, widespread, often in large clumps, mycorrhizal with eucalypts. Hidden Forest ref Jack Cann Reserve, Blackwood, 2007. 43 kB
Cortinarius austroalbidus, "Australian White Webcap", mycorrhizal with eucalypts, widespread. Cap to 700 mm or more, convex then flattens, with slight umbo, white, glutinous when wet, satinish when dry. Slight curry aroma is distinctive. Gills pale buff then ochre. Cortina white, collapsing to faint rusty fibrillose zone. Blackwood roadside, 2004. 27 kB
Cortinarius fibrillosus (Inocybe austrofibrillosa), a widespread mycorrhizal fungus near eucalypts. Cap 25-40 mm, slightly conical, marked umbo, covered with pale fibres over reddish-brown to orange-brown surface. Stem white, fibrillose, gills white, spore print white! NB: Has undergone several name changes over time. Published in Fuhrer (no. 142) as Inocybe austrofibrillosa, but DNA studies place this as a Cortinarius. Baldry Crossing, Greensbush, Mornington Peninsula, 2005. 51 kB
Cortinarius rotundisporus, "Elegant Blue Webcap", mycorrhizal, especially with eucalypts. Cap 70 mm, steely bluish to lilac with raised (umbonate) centre coloured dark yellowish; viscid, dries smooth. Gills pallid to lilac, staining with rust-brown spores: spore print rusty brown. Stem creamish, remnants of cobweb-like veil may be present; tall, bulbous at base. Blue Swami ref Wikipedia ref Jack Cann Reserve, Blackwood, 2007. 29 kB
Cortinarius sinapicolor, mycorrhizal especially with eucalypts; common, sometimes growing in rings or arcs. Cap to 80 mm, golden egg-yolk yellow with orange to red-brown broad umbo; very viscid with a peppery raw sweet corn or curry aroma. Gills yellow then ochre, spore print rusty brown. Stem yellow, viscid, with fibrillose remnants of the cobweb-like veil. a striking fungus. Jack Cann Reserve, Blackwood, 2008. 57 kB
