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.
The description says small, dry, orange, fan-shaped clusters growing on dead coniferous or deciduous wood. Check.
Late fall to winter. Most numerous in Great Lakes and east. Check, check.
Semi-circular and convex. Attached at one side without a stalk. Gills broadly attached. Check. Check. Check.
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.
 | See Timing is So Important |
| if you like this blog, click the +1 | |
Botany lesson well-received, and the sunset is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteNestcap? Reminds me of what a college classmate used to say: "Hungus gungus, there's a fungus among us."
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sunset.
If it's possible for fungus to be considered pretty I think this one qualifies.
ReplyDeletePretty sunset too
Wow! That sunset (and fungus) are pretty. Well...if fungus can be pretty.
ReplyDeletehello 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
ReplyDelete