Mushroom Magic


As well as being a vintage year for autumnal leaf colour, it's been a great season for fungi around here, especially at my allotment. The weather plus my mulched prunings and next door's used pet bedding seem to have provided ideal conditions for various toadstools to thrive. The above picture shows a fungus that's new to me which I found growing near my apple trees. I've narrowed it down to either Stropharia cyanea (Blue Roundhead) or Stropharia aeruginosa (Verdigris Agaric) using the extremely useful Rogers Mushrooms website. However, from the description and photos there (or anywhere else) I can't really narrow it down to the species level - not surprising since the description of S. cyanea says it's often mistaken for the other one. Either way, it's not edible. I don't think it looks that appetising anyway - what do you think? Can anyone confirm which one it is?

BTW Apologies for not replying to your Comments, messages and e-mails over the weekend, but we were up north visiting NAH's family and only got back late yesterday afternoon. I'm still in catch-up mode with my scheduled postings, but hope to get back to you soon. You've been particularly talkative whilst I've been gone - thank you :D

Comments

  1. Anonymous25 November 2008 at 15:42

    It's very pretty and the blue colour is helpful for identification. I still haven't identified one I took a picture of at Wisley in an October blog post. So much for me thinking it would be easy once I had a photo!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Philip Bewley25 November 2008 at 18:04

    Hi!
    Thanks for the link to the mushroom website. That is very helpful.
    This had been a shroomy season for us, too. We never have had such mushrooms! The stinkhorn was odd, but all very intersting! It will be great to identify them.
    Regards,
    Philip

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sol25 November 2008 at 19:37

    Ha ha! I was going to do a give away at the weekend, as I have a lovely book on mushroom identification. You will have to try and win it!!!

    Check back saturday.

    I have yet to work out how to use that Random.org site. as I havent even looked at it!

    ReplyDelete
  4. The Constant Gardener25 November 2008 at 20:22

    that Rogers mushrooms website is a bit of a bible (as you know I've got a bit of a thing about mushrooms). Only trouble is it's got so much info on it I always take hours poring over three dozen mushrooms that all look the same.

    One day I'm going to go on a proper mycologist-led fungi foray and find out what I'm looking at once and for all.

    great pic by the way :D

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous25 November 2008 at 21:43

    There's been loads of fungi growing all over the plot the past few weeks.
    I know virtually nothing on the subject so as for identification...! xx

    ReplyDelete
  6. CanadianGardenJoy25 November 2008 at 22:07

    VP .. are they "magic mushrooms" ??? LOL
    They are very pretty with that amazing blue colour in any case .. I would be too chicken to ever eat a mushroom that didn't come from a store .. and even then .. they could be .. dodgy ? LOL

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous25 November 2008 at 23:37

    Couldn't find your ABC post..sorry

    ReplyDelete
  8. VP27 November 2008 at 22:45

    EG - I've had a look too and I failed as well!

    Philip - it's a great website

    SOL - OK will do!

    CG - the same happened with me. I was on there for 2 hours, even though I'd identified as best I could within 10 minutes!

    Flighty - the site I linked to is a good start!

    Joy - I did wonder, hence the name of my post ;)

    Rambling Woods - you were 24 minutes too early :( Thanks for visiting though :)

    ReplyDelete

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