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Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Nestcap Fungus

 
and a free sunset.

One of my nifty finds on yesterday's hike was a lovely pale orange fungus. As we know, identifying a fungus can be ridiculously impossible. But I think I've got this one. It seems to be called Nestcap, Phyllotopsis nidulans.

nestcap fungus

The description says small, dry, orange, fan-shaped clusters growing on dead coniferous or deciduous wood. Check.

nestcap fungus

Late fall to winter. Most numerous in Great Lakes and east. Check, check.

Phyllotopsis nidulans

Semi-circular and convex. Attached at one side without a stalk. Gills broadly attached. Check. Check. Check.

Phyllotopsis nidulans

Becomes fan shaped as it ages, retaining incurved margin. Check.

No check on these items: Flesh is two colored and bruises when cut. Whitish hairs on the upper surface (does snow count?). Smells bad (who would have thought to check?) Spores elliptic (I haven't yet gotten that serious about fungus.)

The only other contender is a really close relative, Phyllotopsis subnidulans, which has a different shaped spore.

Wasn't that fun?

And, I always feel like it's just too easy to show you a sunset, but this one was too gorgeous to pass up. Today. From my porch.

sunset

See Timing is So Important
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5 comments:

vanilla said...

Botany lesson well-received, and the sunset is gorgeous!

Secondary Roads said...

Nestcap? Reminds me of what a college classmate used to say: "Hungus gungus, there's a fungus among us."

Beautiful sunset.

Ann Thompson said...

If it's possible for fungus to be considered pretty I think this one qualifies.
Pretty sunset too

Lin said...

Wow! That sunset (and fungus) are pretty. Well...if fungus can be pretty.

The Oceanside Animals said...

hello sharkbytes its dennis the vizsla dog oh hay wow nestcap fungus!!! i noo nestcap wuz no longer in the teknolodjee bizness but i did not reealize they had brantched owt into fungus!!! it is not kwite as ketchy a naym as nestcap navigator but stil i -- wot??? oh dada sez i am thinking of netscape not nestcap oops my bad!!! ennyway dada sez he approovs of that fungus on akkownt of its beeing orandj!!! ha ha ok bye