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Fungi Photos Group R
Pseudohydnum gelatinosum to Russula flocktoniae
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Pseudohydnum gelatinosum, "Toothed Jelly", is a common wood-rotting jelly-like fungus, found on rotting wood, occasionally on bark of living trees. Brackets to 60 mm, singly or in bunches, light to dark bluish grey, becoming greyish brown. Underneath is the fertile surface consisting of spine-like projecions to 3 mm long, running down the lateral stem, which if present can be 50 mm long, but usually short and stubby. Wikipedia ref Mushroom Expert ref MycoWeb ref Baldry Crossing, Green's Bush, 2008. 19 kB
Psilocybe subaeruginosa, "Golden Tops", or "Blue-staining Psilocybe" are wood-rotting fungi found in Australia and NZ. Often associated with dung or manure, they can be found in forests or in garden mulch. They contain the hallucinogenic substance psilocybin, which is a prohibited substance, and their possession is in breach of the law. Regardless of that, ingestion should be avoided, because these fungi can be confused with poisonous genera such as Galerina and Conocybe. Caps to 70 mm, convex with an umbo, smooth and greasy to waxy to the touch, yellow-brown to orange-brown, with blue-green patches; stains blue on bruising or ageing; remnants of cobweb veil may be present when young; hygrophanous, fading to biscuit-brown. Gills close, pallid grey brown, ageing to dark purple brown; pale edges; spore print dark purplish brown. Stem often curved, slender, tough, fibrillose, markedly stains blue-green when bruised - very distinctive; remnants of cobweb veil present as fibrillose zone; white mycelium at stem base. Wikipedia ref Morwell NP ref Jack Cann Reserve, Blackwood, 2008. 44 kB
Pycnoporus coccineus "Scarlet Bracket" is a very common wood-rotting vermilion fungus found on dead wood, especially Melaleuca. Pycnoporus coccineus grows mainly in temperate Australia and NZ, Pycnoporus sanuineus grows mainly in Northern Australia, and Pycnoporus cinnabarinus grows in the Northern Hemisphere; they are distinguisable only microscopically. Upper brackets to 100x50 mm but variable, often fusing together, often very uneven or pitted, smooth to fibrillose, orange-red, fading with ageing to pinkish-red. Brackets are sometimes quite thin, or can be relatively thick; the texture is corky. Underneath are very fine pores, brilliant vermilion red, colour persisting with age. The vermilion mycelium tends to spread right through the dead wood, and the brackets often engulf twigs or grass. NB: image shows colonization of dead Melaleuca branches. ANBG ref Morwell NP ref Wikimedia ref Foreshore, Bournda Inlet, NSW, 2007. 90 kB
Pycnoporus coccineus - see previous. Close-up of fine red pores underneath bracket. Foreshore, Merimbula, NSW, 2007. 64 kB
Ramaria filicicola (?). Ramaria are not easy to identify, and this image most closely resembles Ramaria filicicola in Fuhrer's book. Mycorrhizal, up to 30 mm high, white then cream-buff, tips sometimes divided. Amongst forest litter, tree fern debris. Spore print yellow brown. Uniquely Australian? Mushroom Observers ref Doctor's Creek walking track, Reefton, 2009. 57 kB
Ramaria gracilis, unsure, but resembles description in Fuhrer. Mycorrhizal, up to 100 mm in height, densely branched, slender, white to clay-brown, darkening with age. Common in eucalypt forest and pine forest. Spore print yellow-brown. Grows here, in NZ and in other countries, too? MycoKey ref Hidden Forest NZ ref Devilbend Reservoir, Mornington Peninsula, 2008. 68 kB
Ramaria lorithamnus is a mycorrhizal yellow coral fungal growing in Australia and NZ, at least. To 100 mm high, 5mm thick at base, in clumps, branching once or twice, (rarely 3 times), tips slightly digitate (little fingers); pale yellow to yellow, no apricot tints; bruising to pinkish brown; spore print ochre brown. NB: Easily confused with Ramaria flaccida, to 55 mm, yellow, usually has more than 2 branchings and pointy apices, spore print pale yellow brown. Hidden Forest NZ ref NZ Landcare ref Qld Myc Soc image Silvan Reservoir, Dandenong Ranges, 2004. 37 kB
Ramaria ochraceosalmonicolor a very common Australian mycorrhizal species, to 150 mm high, growing in dense bunches, branching 4 or 5 times; tips of branches either acute or rounded, sometimes compressed like cauliflowers. Tips yellowish-pink, body salmon-pink or orange; shading to white or pale near the base. Spore print ochre brown. Often forms rings or arcs in eucalypt forest. Quite variable, and difficult to distinguish from related species. Morwell NP ref Jack Cann Reserve, Blackwood, 2005. 26 kB
Rhizopogon luteolus is a puffball found in association with pine trees. It was introduced from the Northern Hemisphere because it forms beneficial mycorrhizal relationships with conifers. (Mushrooms Suillus luteus, Suillus granulatus, and Lactarius deliciosus also play this role.) Fruit bodies to 50 mm, half-hidden in the soil, rubbery and sponge-like, with internal chambers. Orange-brown skin on the outside and when young a firm white mass inside, becoming soft and brown when mature. Spore mass yellow-brown. ABRS ref Rogers Mushroom ref Next to pine trees, Kurth Kiln, near Gembrook, 2005. 40 kB
Rhodocollybia butyracea, "Greasy Tough-shank", or "Butter Cap" is a common and widespread wood-rotting fungus found on the ground, alone or in groups, in Europe as well as here. Cap to 80 mm, convex at first, becoming flattened, and then developing upturned margins. Greasy to the touch, brown to red-brown shades common, lighter near margin; hygrophanous, becoming light brown when dry. Gills crowded, white, not attached to stem, edges irregular; spore print white to pale cream-buff. Stem stout, tough, pale near apex, same colour as cap towards base; enlarged towards base; readily splits lengthwise. The whole appearance is quite variable. Wikimeda Commons ref First Nature ref Wikipedia ref Jack Cann Reserve, Blackwood, 2005. 17 kB
Richoniella pumila is an underground fungus (truffle), mycorrhizal, and I suspect native to Australia and NZ forests. Found as small clusters at or just below the soil surface. Fruit bodies 25 mm, irregularly subglobose, white surface. Flesh fragile, cut flesh exposes small chambers, flesh brown to tan-brown. Spore print brownish pink. Mushroom Observer ref Jack Cann Reserve, Blackwood, 2010.
Rickenella fibula, "Orange Mosscap", is a common, world-wide, tiny orange humus-decomposing fungus which is almost always associated with moss, with which it may form a mutually beneficial relationship. (Name is from fibula (Latin)= pin used to fasten a brooch.) Cap to 10 mm, initially convex, with distinct central depression, bright orange, later faded orange, darker in centre, translucent-striate, margin wavy, cap smooth, minutely fibrillose. Gills close, strongly decurrent, creamy with orange tints; often with cross-veins; spore print white. Stem up to 30x1.5 mm, fragile, translucent, colour as cap, with distinctive tiny transparent hairs on a smooth surface. MykoWeb ref Mushroom Expert ref Mt Drummer Rainforest Walk, near Cann River, 2010.
Russula aff. rosacea is a mycorrhizal fungus fairly common in tall eucalypt forest. (It is named as having "affinity" with Northern Hemisphere Russula rosacea, but for that there is some confusion with R. sanguinea.) This is a stout fungus with cap to 100 mm, convex, broadening, surface matt, bright red, flesh brittle (characteristic of Russulas). Gills close, white; spore print cream. Stem sturdy, solid, same colour as cap but fading to pink. Calphotos ref Indiana Mushrooms ref Mortimer Picnic Ground, Bunyip State Forest, 2007.
Please Note: The Russula genus can give even the experts a headache in identification. To understand the angst that often accompanies the identification of fungi, I recommend that you read this article on Russulas by Dr Michael Kuo in his "Mushroom Expert" site, mainly pertinent to North American fungi, but illustrative of the existential problems faced by all of us who are interested in fungi.
Russula flocktoniae is an Australian mycorrhizal Russula species common in eucalypt forest and heathland. Cap to 100 mm or so, convex at first, expanding to depressed or even funnel-shaped, surface velvety, bright orange fading with age. Gills white to cream, distant, attached to stem, even a bit decurrent; spore print white to cream. Stem pale orange, stout, thick, brittle, (like all Russula tissue). Taste of tissue is peppery. Morwell NP ref Baldry Crossing, Green's Bush, 2005. 37 kB