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Fungi Photos Group M
Melanophyllum haematospermum to Mycena cystidiosa
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Melanophyllum haematospermum is probably a group of species. Occurring worldwide, on the ground, wood-rotting, it has a distinctive brownish grey, mealy-granulate cap, to 35 mm, often with pendulous pale veil remnants on the margin. The gills are red when young, deepening to the colour of dried blood. The stem is reddish and mealy, and the spore print is dark green, drying to brown, which is very distinctive. It is uncommon. MycoKey ref Bioimages ref Wikimedia Commons ref Hopetoun Falls Walk, Otways Ranges, 2008. 22 kB
Merulius tremellosus, recently renamed as Phlebia tremellosa, is found world-wide. It is a wood-rotting fungus occurring as resupinate (flat), gelatinous sheet of tissue on dead stumps and other wood, often in pine plantations. It is creamy yellow to orange with a surface of folds and pits, sometimes forming sort of bracket-like protrusions. The spores are white. It occurs worldwide, and has been implicated in human infections leading to death via attack of the auto-immune system. Nature Photo ref Wikimedia ref Mushroom Expert ref Doctor's Creek walking track, Reefton, 2009. 75 kB
Merulius tremellosus, recently renamed as Phlebia tremellosa, - see previous. Doctor's Creek walking track, Reefton, 2009. 60 kB
Morchella elata, "Morels", are edible and delicious, found and prized all over the world. An ascomycete, it often fruits after fire, or in the springtime: these specimens were photographed in springtime after summer bushfires earlier in the year. Fruit bodies to 120 mm, wrinkled and ridged with dark vertical ridges. Stem obviously different, off-white and hollow. Spore print cream. Morels are highly variable, but research shows that it is likely that there are only three species. ABRS ref Wikipedia ref Halls Gap, Grampians, 2006. 32 kB
Morganella pyriformis, was previously called Lycoperdon pyriforme or L. perlatum, etc. (NB: pyriformis = pearshaped.) Growing on a rotting wood substrate, often with visible bundles of mycelium called rhizomorphs, and having a small fleshy base, the fungus forms pale brown spheres 400 mm or so across on the sterile base. The surface is at first covered with tiny, brown, spiky granules which are shed at maturity. At the same time an opening appears at the apex, from which spores are released. The inside is white then turning to an olive brown mass of spore material. Wikipedia ref Mushroom Expert ref Tom Volk ref Mortimer reserve, Bunyip State Forest, May, 2010.
Mucronella pendula, "Icicles", is a wood-rotting fungus found world-wide. Totally unique, it grows in colonies in hollows on rotting logs in wet forest, up to 25 mm long, as pendulous, gelatinous, transparent, colourless cones on a yellowish stalk. The whole yellows with age. Fungimap ref G Barron ref ALA ref Myrtle Loop Walk, The Beeches, Marysville, 2005. 48 kB
Mycena aff. epipterygia, "Yellow-stemmed Mycena", denotes in Australia a group of several species which have an affinity with the Northern Hemisphere M. epipterigia "Yellow-leg Bonnet", but the latter itself probably doesn't occur here. A wood-rotting fungus growing on wood, forest litter, etc. Caps to 30 mm, pale yellow to grey or brown, conical, translucent-striate and viscid. Gills delicate, white to grey; spore print white. Stems long, yellow, transparent and glutinous, all with a cucumber-like odour, especially on bruising. Quite common in all forests, including pine. Wikimedia ref Biopix ref Steve Axford image Eco Tourism track, Sanatorium Picnic Ground, Mt Macedon, 2008. 57 kB
Mycena albidocapillaris is a tiny, delicate transparent, colourless mycena very common in groups on rotting forest debris such as fern fronds, leaves and twigs. It is native to Australia. Cap to 5mm, tiny central depression, translucent-striate. Gills similar and distant. Stem very delicate, with short hairs, slender, transparent, perhaps with slightly darker shades towards base. Whorl of white mycelium bunched at base. Baldry Crossing, Green's Bush, 2005. 42 kB
Mycena albidofusca, "Blister Mycena" (my name), is common on moist forest leaf litter where it grows in groups. Distinguished by the lighter-coloured top of the cap, which looks like a "blister". Cap to 25 mm., conical to convex, brown, translucent-striate, with the distinct pale, flattened umbo; cap margin often lighter in colour, too. Gills close, greyish-brown; spore print white. Stem slender, darker brown. I suspect it's native to Australia. Devilbend Reservoir, Mornington Peninsula, 2008. 33 kB
Mycena austrofilopes is an Australian (and NZ) wood-rotting fungus, gregarious in litter, often in moss, found with Eucalypts and even pines or Myrtle Beech. Cap 20 mm, conical, expanding to broad; striate, with obtuse umbo; silky, moist; whitish bloom over centre; colour brownish-grey to greyish-orange. Gills close, greyish-brown, paler at edge; spore print white. Stems long (122 mm) slender (2-4 mm), wider at base, cartilaginous, smooth, light brown, paler near apex; no ring. Sometimes with white hairs near base. (Looks a little like Mycena cystidiosa, but is lighter and smaller, with no hair-like sterile rhizomorphs.) Wikipedia ref NZ Landcare ref Eco Tourism track, Sanatorium Picnic Ground, Mt Macedon, 2010.
Mycena austrororida, "Austral Dripping Bonnet", is a fairly common, very slimy wood-rotting species of Australia and NZ. It grows gregariously or in clusters on wet wood in eucalypt and Myrtle Beech forests, including on pine cones. Caps to 16 mm diam, 5 mm high, deeply convex, moist, colour very pale greyish brown to off-white, and usually speckled with tiny brown dots (squamules). Gills white, distant, adnate to decurrent and arched; gill edges finely toothed; spore print white. Stem white, (35x2 mm), narrows near apex, covered with thick, clear gluten, especially towards the base; often short white hairs at base; no ring. NZ Landcare images NZ Hidden Forest ref Mushroom Observer ref Maits Rest, Otway Ranges, 2010.
Mycena carmeliana is distinguished by its orange basal disc. Grows in groups on rotting wood and woody litter. Caps to 20 mm, pale greyish brown to paler margin; convex, flattening out, viscid, with tiny wrinkles or grooves. Gills close, free; spore print white. Stems curved, slender, pale at top, darkening towards base; small hairs towards base. Stem ends abruptly at an orange, striate disc. There is an ammonia-like odour or "bleach" odour. I think it's found only in Australia-NZ. Mt Drummer Rainforest Walk, Cann River, 2008. 51 kB
Mycena cystidiosa is very widespread on forest litter in Autumn, growing in troupes. Caps to 25 mm, broadly conical, radially striate, not very translucent, pale brown-grey with a distinctive dark brown umbo, a pale bloom visible on the cap. Gills close, fairly deep, whitish; spore print white. Stems long (to 200 mm) and fairly tough, with bunches of white hairs at the base. NB: This species is accompanied by the strange phenomenon of extensive fine white hair-like tangled structures called "rhizomorphs", each terminated by a very tiny little cap or knob. These poke up from the litter in a tangled way into the air, and can be up to 300 mm long! They can be seen in most of these images. Morwell NP ref NZ Landcare ref Mortimer Picnic Ground, Bunyip State Forest, 2009. 82 kB
