What
Brownit (Collybia brunneocephala)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Growing along forest road about a week after snowmelt, elevation 6,877 feet, in sparse conifer duff - White Fir and Jeffrey Pine.
Photos / Sounds
What
Amber Snails (Family Succineidae)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Found three under rocks in moist soil within 20 feet of an ephemeral stream running through granite boulders. Horse Hills/Providence Mountains, about 1/2 mile from Arroweed Spring (A.K.A. Arrowhead Spring).
Photos / Sounds
Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Growing at the edge of a dirt road in heavy soil, not near any shrubs or trees. Nonnative annual grasses and Erodium. Leafless trees in background of habitat shots are Honey Mesquite, which give way to salt-cedar and Sueda in lower areas, so the soil must be somewhat saline. The thick stipe of the fungus was buried in the soil. No sign of a volva, but the lower stem was rotted away. The blurry photo on the sawhorse shows the second much smaller fruiting body that was right next to the large one in the hole. My guess is the flimsy ragged pieces of tissue in the head are the remnants of the membranes of the locules.
Photos / Sounds
What
Draparnaud's Glass Snail (Oxychilus draparnaudi)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
With Chalon Boesel. Albino glass snail, presumably the widespread Draparnaud's Glass Snail. Normal-looking Draparnaud's Glass Snails were also seen at this site. Riparian woodland along Campo Creek, under small willow logs in wet soil.
Photos / Sounds
What
Candlestick Amanita (Amanita calyptratoides)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Growing with Garrya, Chamise, and Muller's Oak. It was directly under the Chamise. The closest Q. agrifolia was approximately 40 meters down the hill, so I don't think it was associated with that species.
Photos / Sounds
What
Manzanita Hoof Polypore (Phellinus arctostaphyli)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Growing on chamise.
Photos / Sounds
What
Common Gilled Mushrooms and Allies (Order Agaricales)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Growing at the base of Chamise, attached to the wood under the surface.
Photos / Sounds
What
Waxcaps (Genus Hygrocybe)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Growing in shady forest of Incense Cedar and Canyon Live Oak, very near Ironside Spring with Woodwardia ferns. No California Bay or Manzanita. Cap slimy viscid, lemon yellow when young and mature, no hints of orange or green. Did not measure but mature cap was about 8 cm across. Stipe viscid, especially upper portion, mostly white but pale yellow near top, deeply rooting in duff, striate, hollow. No blackening reaction while fresh.
After drying, the stipes turned black, the umbo of one turned dusky, and the pilei acquired some orange tones.
Photos / Sounds
What
Subgenus NolaneaObserver
davegoodwardDescription
Growing under California Juniper.
What
Funnels (Genus Clitocybe)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Growing under California Juniper, only one small group found.
Photos / Sounds
What
Pezizas, Desert Truffles, and Allies (Family Pezizaceae)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Found at four locations, all under California Junipers, growing on the duff around the dripline.
Photos / Sounds
What
Pinwheels and Parachute Mushrooms (Genus Marasmius)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Only one patch of these seen, growing in California Juniper duff, mycelium attached to the decomposing needles.
Photos / Sounds
What
Field and Button Mushrooms (Genus Agaricus)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Growing under California Juniper trees.
What
Tall Psathyrella (Psathyrella longipes)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Mixed oak conifer woodland.
Photos / Sounds
What
Coral Tooth Fungus (Hericium coralloides)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Under a large oak log.
What
Oak-loving Elfin Saddle (Helvella dryophila)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Under Coast Live Oak.
Photos / Sounds
What
Yellow-staining Milk Cap (Lactarius xanthogalactus)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Taste moderately acrid, latex white at first, quickly turning pale yellow. No scrobiculation on the stipe. Under Quercus agrifolia. I don't think alnicola has the pinkish tones on the cap that this one has, leading me to L. xanthogalactus. But it's pretty pale, and the latex turned pale yellow rather than bright yellow.
Photos / Sounds
What
Genus GeopyxisObserver
davegoodwardDescription
Growing on saturated soil below Ironside Spring, underneath Woodwardia fimbriata ferns. Incense Cedar and Canyon Live Oak overstory. It was impossible to wash the dirt and organic matter off of the semi-buried stipes. Even though there have been previous fires throughout the area, it could not tell if the soil at this location was "burnt", and definitely did not burn last year, leading me away from G. carbonaria. Also, the cups look more flattened out than that species at maturity, but it still could be carbonaria.
What
Giant Chain Fern (Woodwardia fimbriata)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Below Ironside Spring, Volcan Mountain Preserve
What
Reticulate Taildropper (Prophysaon andersonii)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
This was the first of eight small dark slugs found at various locations on Volcan Mountain Preserve. They were all under bark flakes and logs in mixed oak/conifer woodland in shady locations.
Photos / Sounds
What
Rounded Snail (Gonyodiscus rotundatus)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Four seen on the underside of a piece of Coast Live Oak bark dumped with asphalt and scrap wood.
Photos / Sounds
What
Bleeding Brown Cypress Agaricus (Agaricus brunneofibrillosus)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Ragged Point, under Monterey Cypress on coastal bluff.
Photos / Sounds
What
Bleeding Brown Cypress Agaricus (Agaricus brunneofibrillosus)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Growing under Monterey Cypress on coastal bluff. Deep orangey stains developed quickly. Odor seemed like almond at the time, but visually this looks like brunneofibrillosus, which should smell mushroomy, so perhaps I was mistaken on the odor.
Photos / Sounds
What
Waxcaps (Genus Hygrocybe)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Scattered around under Monterey Cypress. The cap was viscid, but I did not check the stipe. Perhaps the association with cypress will help identify it.
Photos / Sounds
What
Redwood Sideband (Monadenia infumata)Observer
davegoodwardDescription
Along Cascade Creek. It withdrew into it's shell as I picked it up, and I fell asleep waiting for it to reemerge.