Amateur mycologist Suzanne Monnon did a fabulous job of leading our field trip on October 2. The Macnamara trail proved to be an excellent location and we were never short of specimens to observe and, with Suzanne’s help, identify.
We were all overwhelmed with the tremendous variety of species and with the beautiful shapes and colours of these organisms. We also learned that identification is really tricky and requires years of study in the lab and on the trails. Thank you Suzanne for exposing a whole new group of Macnamarans to the joys of mushrooming. Photos by Karen Runtz.
A Russula species (aka crumble cap.) These mushrooms crumble very easily. The stalk looks like chalk and snaps in half like chalk/wood due to their cellular structure.
Trail expansion project manager, Janet Mason, checks her Guide to Ontario Mushrooms by George Barron before the start of Sunday’s field trip on the Macnamara trail.
Hoof or Tinder Polypore on a Birch tree.
Green/blue stain fungus cups. Once the cups decompose, the log is left with a green/blue stain.
Julianna is using a loupe lens to inspect a coral fungus.
Looks like a Dryads Saddle from the top but the dark gills indicated that it was an Agaricus species, similar to our store-bought mushrooms.
Forrest holds a Lobster Mushroom
The purple-tinged Cortinarius has fine cobweb-like strands covering its gills. The cobwebby structure goes down the stock too, a diagnostic characteristic of a cortinarius species.
A Marasmius species that would be perfect for A Fairy Garden. Marasmius means “I wither.” These fungi dry out then come back to life when wet.
Eric holds an edible find- Chanterelles.
Resinous polypore. Amber droplets are usually seen on the top and bottom of this polypore