The Temagami area is well known for having a wide variety of mushrooms and other related fungi throughout the growing season which begins in late spring and lasts through to the freeze-up in early autumn. As a general rule for this area, this will occur from early May through mid to late September and occasionally, into October.

Typical locations preferred for both the photographer and picker/harvester would be in an undisturbed forest location with a rich layer of decomposing plant material, plenty of natural moisture and protection from harsh sunlight .... as is found under the conifers throughout most of the White Bear Old Growth Red and White Pine Forest which is located directly in front of the lodge. Other areas with a predominance of deciduous hardwoods such as maples and birch also offer an abundant variety of mushrooms and fungi.

Some species are edible and very delicious when picked at their peak of growth and prepared quickly after harvesting. Other species are known to be poisonous and cannot be consumed under any circumstances. Most species fall into the category of "unknown edibility" and should be avoided. As with all species of mushrooms, it is imperative that the picker/harvester can positively identify each particular mushroom and understands exactly the consequences of his/her actions.

Warning: Extreme caution is urged when contemplating the harvesting and consumption of mushrooms and other fungi. If you cannot positively identify it, don't eat it. Please remember that there is no guarantee that any mushroom or fungi will not cause harm or discomfort to some individuals. Northland Paradise Lodge and its staff assume no liability or responsibility to anyone due to their actions in this regard.

The following photos, Latin & common names as well as a limited description of each are examples of just a few of the many different species found throughout the Temagami region. I realize there are several methods of compiling mushrooms into various classifications of genera, families and species but for ease of simplicity, I have arranged them according to their order of emergence in a calendar year. Hopefully, this will assist both photographers and harvesters in their quest of a particular species.

Both mushrooms and fungi have a tendency to reappear in the same area in following years. As a photographer, if you are a few days or weeks late in capturing that "perfect" shot, record the site and date and re-visit it earlier next year. As a picker/harvester, remember that the reproduction of your favorite delicacy depends upon spore distribution. Yes, pick and enjoy some of them but please leave others to reproduce naturally so you can reap the benefits of next year's crop. Do not "kick them around" to spread unripe spores over a greater area; Nature put these ones here and it can accomplish the reproduction of the spores all by itself.

Enjoy!

Species that I just cannot put a name on.

Here is a mushroom that I cannot identify. I've seen it for the past couple of years in this same location and it always appears like this ... frilly, with large gills and a white cap that has brown smudges in some places close to its edge. It grows on moss-covered decayed soft wood, possibly an old white cedar root, in the old growth forest. I am through this area on a regular basis (2 or 3 times a week) and it seems to "sprout up" overnight. It is about 8 cm. high and 15 cm. wide, appearing in late August or early September. It does resemble both the Clitopilus prunulus (The Miller Mushroom) and the Rhodocollybia butyracea (Spotted Collybia) described below but there are neither of these close to this area.

Here is a second unidentifiable fungi that has been located in the White Bear Forest in August, 2008. This picture was taken by one of our guests, Nancy B. from Thorold and I cannot find anything similar to it in any of my reference books. It is obviously a coral fungi and is approximately 2 inches high and grows in sphagnum moss. One suggestion for it was Ramaria versatilis but it doesn't quite appear to be the same mushroom. Does anyone have any info (Latin and/or common name, toxicity) for it? Thanks in advance.

Okay, here is another unidentified mushroom that I have found. It was growing on the side of a living spruce tree at a height of about 6 feet and in thick forest. It appears to be a bracket fungus of some sort but my guide book shows nothing quite like it. The only photo that slightly resembles this is of a Laetiporus sulphureus (Chicken of the Woods) and I'll admit that it does resemble the tail feathers of a chicken. Any comments?

I found this unusual black-capped mushroom in mid-August in a low lying mossy area under mostly balsam firs with some white cedars. It is 7 or 8 cm. tall (or 3 inches) and about 2 cm. wide. The thin stalk is also of the same black color. However, the gills are dark tan to orange-brown, wide spaced and if I remember correctly, they were free. A few days later, it was withered and dried.

This mushroom struck me as different than any other I have ever seen. It was about 5 to 7 cm. tall (2 1/2 inches), pure white and the outer edges of the cap had what appeared to be either very fine spikes or hair sticking straight out while the center of the cap was smooth. The gills were decurrent and also white or off-white in color. A few days later, it was eaten off by a small animal such as a squirrel or chipmunk so I'm assuming that if were safe enough for them to eat, then it would also be considered as edible for us. This photo was taken in mid-September.

There were lots of these mushrooms growing in my lawn in late September. They were growing close to Haymaker's Mushrooms (described below) and were about 5 to 7 cm. tall, light brown in both the caps and attached gills. Stalks were a lighter brown to almost off-white and very brittle.

This could easily be the smallest mushroom I have ever found. Look closely at the comparative size of the blades of grass surrounding it. It is off-white to very light tan in color and has a darker rusty-red spot in the center with a stalk of the same but lighter color. The cap is less than 1 cm. (3/8 inch) in width and the stalk is about 3 cm. (1 1/2 inches) tall. This photo was taken in late September.

Within inches of the tiny mushroom described above was this brilliant cluster of mushrooms growing on a very rotten birch stump. Overall, the clump is about 15 cm. (6 inches) tall and the caps are convex to hemispherical, light brown with darker edges and evenly-scattered brown spots. The gills are light brown, wide and attached. The stalks are mostly whitish with scaly brown flecks. Their shape ranges from straight to curved, depending on their location in the clump. This photo was taken in late September.

On the other end of this same rotten birch stump was this mass of slimy and moist bracket fungii. The thicker centers were salmon-colored while the thin outer rims were white to translucent with edges that varied from wavy to smooth to irregular shaped.

Several of these small, pink to salmon-colored mushrooms were growing among the Haymakers in the lawn in late September also. At about 2 to 3 cm. (1 to 1/2 inches) in both width and height, they all had these darker raised centers and the accompanying ridge around it in the cap. The wide spaced, attached gills and stalks were of the same color as the outer edges of the caps.

This distinctively colored mushroom was found growing under conifers in a mixture of moss and wintergreen in late September. The caps are 7 to 8 cm. (3 inches) wide and are shiny yellow to olive in color with darker olive-brown peaked centers. The gills are white, wide and free. Tall thin stalks are about 7 to 10 cm. (3 to 4 inches) tall and very brittle and colored as the cap. Obvious bite marks from small rodents suggest that it may also be considered as edible.

I don't know if I'd classify this fungii as a bracket fungus or start a whole new classification for it. It seems to be partly bracket and partly 3-D Cheerios. It was growing close to the ground on a dead birch trunk in mixed deciduous and connifer trees. It is about 15 cm. (6 inches) wide and 5 to 7 cm. (2 to 3 inches ) deep. The edges are soft, white, moist and about 1 cm. (1/2 inch) thick and appear as puffy. Closer to the tree, the body appears as medimum soft, light brown and dry.

It had been raining for 2 straight days in mid-October when I came across this interesting shelving mushroom that was growing on a dead maple limb in a predominantly balsam fir stand of small trees. All of them had 7 to 8 cm. wide, thin hemispherical caps that were of a light tan color with a much lighter wavy rim. Gills were decurrent, white to light tan and best described as thin and wrinkly. The short thick stalks were of the same tan color as the caps. At first, I thought it was Oak Colybia (Gymnopus dryophilus) but they have attached gills and grow on the ground so then it most resembled Crepidotus mollis but those ones don't have a stalk although they are shelving and grow on decaying hardwood logs or stumps. Any ideas?

Early (May and June)

Phlebia tremellosa is a small shelving bracket fungus commonly found on dead wood. A soft and gelatinous white to light tan colored top appears as slightly hairy while the underside can vary from white to light pinkish. It can be up to 2 cm. in length and 1 cm. wide. As with all bracket fungi, it is considered to be inedible.

Ganoderma applanatum (Artist's Conk) are common and widespread and can be found growing on living hardwood trees, reaching 50 cm. in length by 30 cm. wide. Growth stripes can vary from gray/black to light/dark brown. The texture is smooth on both the top and bottom of the brackets. As with all bracket fungi, it is considered to be inedible.

Gyromitra esculenta (False Morel) grow up to 20-25 cm. tall with deep red/brown heads up to 8-10 cm. wide, wrinkled and appearing brain-like. Light tan to pale yellow hollow stalks. Found on the ground in early spring in both deciduous and coniferous forests. Poisonous.

Albatrellus ovinus (Sheep Polypore) are 5-15 cm. wide, irregular-circular and flat to slightly depressed. They feel smooth and dry with cracks that are soft but becoming tougher as they age. Very common and found on both dead deciduous (maples) and conifers. Edibility is unknown.

Polyporus mori have fan- to kidney-shaped caps that are up to 8 cm. wide and less than 1 cm. thick with wavy (scalloped) edges. With a wide color range of yellow to brick red, the texture could also vary from smooth to scaly. A very common bracket fungus, it's found on dead deciduous trees and branches early in the year. As with all bracket fungi, it is considered to be inedible.

Cortinarius corrugatus is a common mushroom found in deciduous or mixed deciduous forests in late May and June. The cap is 5 to 10 cm. wide, slightly bell-shaped to convex, wrinkled and tan to light brown in color. Gills are rusty red to brown and wide-spaced. The stalk is 1.5 wide X 10 to 12 cm. tall, greenish- to tan-yellow and occasionally vertically veined. The base of the stem is slightly bulbous in nature. Edibility is unknown.

Fuligo septica appears as a cake-like mass or as gobs of spray styrofoam from an aerosol can that is used as a crack filler around doors and windows. It is bright yellow with a brittle and smooth skin. It can be up to 20 to 25 cm. long by 2 to 3 cm. thick. A common fungi of the slime mould family, it is usually found on very decomposed logs and stumps in late spring or early summer. Edibility is unknown.

Mid Summer (July & August)

Geoglossum difforme (Common Earth Tongue) can grow up to 10 cm. (4 inches) tall and are clavate (club shaped), flattened and black in color. They can be sticky or slimy when wet and rubbery when dry. They usually grow as individuals on well-rotted or moss covered logs but will occassionally be seen in groups of up to 8 or 10 stems. Edibility is unknown.

Conocybe lactea (Dunce Cap) are very common in lawns in early summer. Caps are up to 3 cm. wide and are bell-shaped or conical, hence the name and are smooth to radically wrinkled. Colors can vary from tan to cream or near white. Stems are thin and up to 10 cm. tall and appear as slightly scaled or hairy. Edibility is unknown.

Gymnopus dryophilus (Oak Collybia) have flat to convex thin waxy caps that are light tan colored in the center, paler around the lighter-colored, irregular shaped edges and fade with age. Caps are 2 to 6 cm. across with reddish brown stems to 6 cm. by 5 mm. in width. Commonly found on the ground under both coniferous and deciduous trees. Edibility is unknown.

The Hygrocybe miniata (Vermilion Waxcap) is a common and widespread mushroom found on the ground in woods and dry marshy areas. It is up to 3 cm. wide and 7 or 8 cm. tall with the convex cap, gills and stem being all the same bright red color that can change to orange then to yellow as it ages. Edibility is unknown.

Hygrocybe cantharellus (Chanterelle Waxcap) is a brilliant orange mushroom with the cap fading to orange and yellow. Tall and thin (8 cm.) with a 3 cm. wide flat cap that is dry to the touch. Found on the ground in moist conditions, it can grow as a single mushroom or in groups of 10 to 15. Edibility is unknown.

Hygrocybe flavescens (Yellow Waxcap) is a very common, bright yellow mushroom of mid to late summer that can range from 2 to 6 or 7 cm. wide and has a convex cap with a faintly striated edge. The cap is slippery when moist and shiny when dry. Gills range from free to slightly attached. Stalks are up to 7 or 8 cm. tall by 1 cm. wide, and a lighter shade of yellow. It grows on both the ground in woods and in sphagnum moss. Edible, but not recommended, as it can easily be mistaken for poisonous mushrooms that appear quite similar.

Hygrophorus chrysodon (Golden Tooth Waxcap) has a convex cap that is slippery when wet and stays shiny when dry. The cap has tiny bright yellow dots which are more prevalent closer to the edges. Gills are pure white and well-spaced. Both the caps and the stems can be up to 6 or 7 cm. An overall rare mushroom that is edible, but not recommended, as it can easily be mistaken for poisonous mushrooms that appear quite similar.

Hygrophorus fuligineus is a very attractive small mushroom with definite brown lines radiating from a slimy wet cap of the same color over a much lighter tan rim of the cap. Very light tan colored gills are widely separated with the same color extending down the thin stalk. Caps are 3 to 10 cm. (1 to 4") wide and the stalk can be up to 1.5 cm. wide by 10 cm. tall (1/2" by 4"). It is a common mushroom found on decaying ground matter or sphagnum moss throughout mid to late summer. Edibility is unknown.

Amanita muscaria (Fly Agaric) A very attractive and common mushroom which is unusually large. Caps are up to 20 cm. wide and the scaly 2 cm. wide stalks can reach almost the same height. The yellow cap is loosely covered in soft patches ranging from white to tan above white gills. Found on the ground in both deciduous and coniferous forests. Poisonous.

Nolanea quadrata (Salmon-Colored Nolanea) A small colorful mushroom with pointed caps 2-4 cm. wide that feel dry and smooth. Matching colored stalks are 6-8 cm. high. Very common, it is found on the ground in mixed forests. Poisonous.

Coprinus atramentarius (Tippler's Bane) A common mushroom that is a member of the "ink caps" with cone-shaped caps that are up to 8 cm. wide, brownish-grey and smooth to the touch. As it ages, the gills become black, as does the edges of the caps and they turn into an inky fluid. At 15-20 cm. in height, it grows in grassy areas, usually on buried decaying wood. The English name is derived from the fact that if you consume this mushroom with any alcoholic beverages, you will immediately be sick to your stomach. However, they must be eaten the same day they are harvested. Edible, with caution.

Cladonia Verticillata (Ladder Lichen) At 1 to 2" (2 to 5 cm.), these lichens grow in very shallow soil conditions or even in a few pine needles over barren rock. Brittle and crumbly in dry weather, they readily absorb any moisture from dews or rains and flex easily. Occasionally, other lichens can be found growing out of the top of the cup on the one below it, hence the name of ladder lichen. This photo was taken in late August. Edibility is unknown.

Autumn Favorites (September and October)

Pleurotis dryinus are white to light yellow, 5-20 cm. wide with a flat to slightly convex cap with a depressed center. They are dry and smoothly soft with edges that are often rolled inwards. Short thick stalks are of the same color. Widespread but not plentiful, they grow on a variety of decayed stumps and roots. Edible

Hebeloma crustuliniforme (Poison Pie) Caps are 3-6 cm. wide, are slightly convex to flat and are dry to slippery when wet with a light brown color, often speckled darker. Hairy, thin white stalks can be up to 15 cm. tall. Widespread and fairly common, it grows on the ground in open woods. As the English names says, you just know this mushroom is Poisonous.

Piptoporus betulinus (Birch Polypore) is a bracket fungus that can grow to 25 cm. wide, about half that in length and up to 6 or 8 cm. thick. The color varies from a dirty brown (here) to grey and is usually smooth but is occasionally rough textured or scaly. The underside is smooth & white and easily scratched. Widespread and common on both standing and fallen dead birch. As with all bracket fungi, it is considered to be inedible.

Fomes fomentarius (Tinder Polypore) are bracket fungi up to 15 cm. wide and resembles hooves that are as high as they are wide. Colors vary from light gray (as seen here) to browns to charcoal grays. A very common fungi, it is found on both standing and fallen deciduous logs. As with all bracket fungi, it is considered to be inedible.

Gymnopus acervatus (Clustered Collybia) is easily identified by its cluster of 3-5 cm. wide caps that are slightly conical, dry, smooth and reddish-brown with light tan edges. Tall (8 cm.), hollow stalks are dark in color. Widespread and quite common, it is found on the ground in subdued light with humid conditions on very rotten wood that is often covered with moss. Edibility is unknown.

Clavulina cristata (Cockscomb Coral) is a coral fungus that is chalk-white & branched and turns from dirty-white to grayish to black with age due to parasitic fungi at its base. Up to 4 cm. in height, it is very common and is found on the ground on decaying woody debris. Edible.

Dacrymyces palmatus (Orange Jelly) is a unique fungi that is yellow to orange, soft and slimy gelatinous, spatulate. With age, it becomes lobed or multi-lobed and finally convoluted. It can vary widely in size but rarely exceeds 5 or 6 cm. long by 2 or 3 cm. in height. It is quite common in the early fall and can be found on dead conifer stumps and logs after prolonged rainy periods. Edibility is unknown.

Lycoperdon perlatum (Gem-Studded Puffball) are spiny small globes (5-6 cm.) usually found in clusters and aging to yellow-brown to brown when the skin cracks to release olive spores. Widespread and common on woody debris. Edible when white.

Lycoperdon curtisii (Curtis's Puffball) are up to 2 cm., have prominent spikes and turn from white to brown with age. They are a very common puffball which grow in small clusters and can be found in both grassy areas as well as gravel lanes. Edibility is unknown.

Calvatia excipuliformis (Pestle-Shaped Puffball) can grow as large as 15 cm. tall and 10 cm. in diameter. Changing from white to brown with age, they will develop wrinkles where the stalk and head meet as they age. The head will crack in an irregular pattern to release the spores. Edible when young.

Hypomyces lactifluorum (Lobster Mushroom) is well named due to its bright orange-red color. As a parasite that attacks milk mushrooms, it will overtake its host and completely hide it. Oddly formed, 10-15 cm. wide, widespread and common, it is reported to be edible.

Clitopilus prunulus (The Miller Mushroom) is a bone-white mushroom with a convex to flat to depressed cap varying from 2-10 cm. As it ages, it turns to cream-colored to buff or grayish. Short thick stalks are white with soft cottony surfaces. Widespread and common, it is found on the ground in both deciduous and coniferous woods. Edible.

Oxyporus populinus is a broadly attached semi-circular bracket fungi up to 10 cm. wide that is white to cream-colored, smooth and often colored with green moss or algae. Widely common, it grows on living hardwoods, in this case, a cherry tree. As with all bracket fungi, it is considered to be inedible.

Russula brevipes can either grow as a single mushroom or as in a cluster as seen here. Caps are 8 to 15 cm. wide and start as convex, then changing to flat and finally funnel-shaped as it ages. They are dry, smooth and white to light brown. Short thick stalks are also white and smooth to slightly hairy. A common mushroom, it grows on the ground in coniferous woods. Edibility is unknown.

Climacodon septentrionale (Shelving Tooth) is a combination of both a bracket fungi as well as a toothed fungi with several tiers that can each be up to 30 cm. wide, 12 cm. deep and 5 cm. thick. Growing in tight thick layers, it changes from white to light tan as it ages and is covered with matted hairs.  This one was steadily dripping a pungent, clear yellowish liquid. Widespread and common, it thrives on the trunks of living hardwood maple trees. As with all bracket fungi, it is considered to be inedible.

Rhodocollybia butyracea (Spotted Collybia) has a cap of 5-15 cm. and is convex, turning to flat with a wavy rim as it ages. It can be broadly knobbed, dry, smooth and with scattered flecks of rust. The tall thin stalk (15 cm.) is white and very brittle. A common mushroom, it is found on the ground in both coniferous and deciduous woods in thick decaying debris. Edible.

Suillus americanus (White Pine Bolete) are small mushrooms with 3-10 cm. convex to flat, slimy caps that can have rust colored spots, especially near the rims. As with all boletes, the underside appears spongy instead of gilled. Sometimes called Butter Mushrooms, they are quite common and normally found under or near white pines. Edible.

Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca (False Chanterelle) has a convex cap of 2-6 cm. The rim appears in-rolled and the edges are paler than the orange colored center. The gills are orange to salmon in color. It can be found on mossy rotten logs or in thick layers of decayed pine duff. Edible, but can cause stomach problems in some people.

Lepiota cristata is a small flat-topped white mushroom up to 5 cm. in width and height. It has a reddish-brown center that breaks into small scales towards the edges. The whitish and slightly pubescent stem has a large knob around the ring. It is common on the ground in forests and quite often in grasses close to forests in early autumn. Poisonous.

Panaeolina foenisecii (Haymaker's Mushroom) have a bell-shaped cap and are 1 to 2.5 cm. wide and are greyish-brown to rusty brown with wide spaced darker brown gills. Thin beige stalks are up to 8 cm. long. They are the most common of the little brown mushrooms (LBMs) and usually grow in lawns in early autumn. Poisonous, but not deadly.

Mycena rorida is a small autumn mushroom with caps of 5 to 10 mm diameter that can be broadly convex to flat with age, often with a central depression. The color is mostly white with pale brown fading to tan or ending up as yellowish-white. The upper cap is striated with a scalloped margin and dry to the touch. Gills are white and wide spaced. Identification is made easy by the slime-covered thin stalks of up to 5 cm growing in clusters under conifers. Common and wide spread. Edibility is unknown.

Clitocybe gibba (Funnel Clitocybe) has a convex cap of 4 to 8 cm that becomes flat to depressed to funnel-shaped with age and is dry, smooth and tan to white. The pinkish tinge also fades with age. The decurrent gills are thin and white. Stalks are up to 8 cm tall and thin. A common mushroom found on the ground in woods, it is edible.

Coprinus comatus (Shaggy Mane) are one of the latest appearing mushrooms in this area, just before the first frosts. Caps are 5-15 cm. across and usually taller in height than in diameter. Starting as light tan in color, they quickly change to grayish-white and become black and slimy around the rims as they age. As the name implies, they are covered with brown or gray upturned scales. It is the most well known member of the "ink caps". Widespread and very common, they can be found in grassy areas and disturbed soils such as on old abandoned logging roads. A very sweet and delicious mushroom, they are best harvested before turning dark as they are definitely edible.

Cystoderma terrei is a very rusty brown capped mushroom up to 8 cm. wide and is convex then becoming flat with age. The cap appears leathery with orange-brown pointed scales. The white gills are attached but become free with age, as seen here. The stalk can be up to 6 cm. tall by 1 cm. wide. Not a common mushroom, it can be found on the ground under conifers. Edibility is unknown.

Suillus brevipes (Short Stalked Bolete) are, as the name implies, short, 5-10 cm. wide and appear top heavy. The cap is convex, soft, smooth, slimy and light tan to rusty brown. The stalk is up to 5 cm. tall and 2 cm. wide and white to yellowish near the top. Very common in the decaying needles under both red and white pines, they are edible.

Hericium americanum are usually up to 20 cm. wide and 25 cm. high with a well-hidden thick support stalk that grows out of the side of well-rotted hardwood logs or stumps in the late fall, usually just before frosts. Each branch growing off the stalk has a cluster of hanging spines up to 40 mm. long. Color changes from white to creamy to brown with age. It is a widespread and common fungus and is edible when young.

Tricholoma pardinum appear as dome-shaped and bulky mushrooms that have caps of 5 to 15 cm. in width and stalks up to 12 cm. tall and 4 cm. wide. The streaked surface of the caps are dry and dirty gray in color with small darker gray or brown scales in the center. Not a common species, it can be found on the ground under conifer trees in the fall. Poisonous.

Lepista nuda (Blewit) start with convex caps up to 12 cm. and become flat, then depressed and occassionally have a wavy rim. The color of the cap, gills and stalk can all range from faded purple to brownish. The stalk appears as fibrous and streaked. They are very common, have a pleasant odour and can be found on the ground in most woods in September. Edible.

Russula emetica are often referred to as "red caps" and have caps of 5 to 10 cm. that are flat to slightly depressed. Slippery when wet and shiny when dry, they vary from rosy- to blood-red in color. Gills are free and white. Stalks can reach 7 cm. by 2 cm. and are also pure while and smooth. A very common mushroom, they are found on the ground on rotten wood. Poisonous.

Ramariopsis Kunzei is a coral fungus of 2 to 6 cm. tall and is pure white, growing on an inconspicuous stalk with fragile curved branches of all the same width. A very common fungus, it is found on grassy or mossy areas in the forest in September. Edible.

Trichaptum biforme (Purple-Toothed Polypore) is a shelving and often overlapping bracket fungus of 2 to 8 cm. long by 2 to 6 cm. wide. It is thin, tough, velvety smooth and can be narrowly zonate. Young ones are white to cream in color and change to grey with age, as seen here. It is commonly found growing on rotting deciduous wood such as this birch log. As with all bracket fungi, it is considered to be inedible.

Leucoagaricus naucina (Smooth Parasol) are up to 12 cm. wide, convex, dry, smooth and pure white. Stalks, also white, are up to 10 cm. tall by .5 cm wide with a swollen base and a noticably movable ring. It is a common mushroom found growing on lawns and occassionally in woods in September. It is edible, but do so with extreme caution as it can easily be confused with the deadly Destroying Angel that also grows at that time of year and has an attached ring.

Hygrocybe ceracea is a brilliant lemon-yellow small mushroom of only 5 to 25 mm. diameter with a convex cap that varies from dry to slimy and is thin and striate. The yellow gills are attached to decurrent and very far apart. Stalks are thin, yellow and up to 4 cm. tall. A very rare mushroom, it can be found on decaying debris in the forest. Edibility is unknown.

Cortinarius armillatus (Banded Cort) has a cap up to 12 cm.that is convex, moist, fiber-streaked and is rusty-brown to brick red. Gills are attached, close and of a less rusty color. Stalks are up to 15 cm. tall by 2 cm. wide, tan in color and with an obvious orange band. The base of the stalk is swollen and often clavate. It is a very common mushroom found in conifer forests. Edibility is unknown.

Pholiota Squarrosoides has caps of 2 to 10 cm. ranging from convex to flat and are slimy when wet. Dense tan scales are located on a tan to white background that darkens with age, as seen here. Gills are attached and close. Stalks are up to 10 cm. long and scaly. Widespread and common, it grows in clusters on hardwood stumps or logs. Edible.

Gymnopilus luteofolius have caps of 2 to 8 cm. wide, convex, becoming broadly knobbed with age. They are dry and reddish-brown around the edges and paler to yellowish in the center. The margin is inrolled and overhangs the attached and well-spaced gills that turn from yellowish to reddish-brown with age. Stalks are up to 10 cm. long and colored as the cap. Not a common mushroom, it can be found on rotting chips on the ground and on both vertical and flat logs. Poisonous.

Paxillus involutus (Poisonous Paxillus) The flat to slightly depressed white cap can be from 5 to 15 cm. wide and has an inrolled margin that is dry and hairy in younger mushrooms and changes to smooth olive-brown as it ages. Gills are yellowish and decurrent. The thick stalk can be up to 10 cm. tall and 3 cm. wide and has the same color as the cap. It is common and widespread and grows on thick mulch in mixed forests. Poisonous.

Gymnopilus sapineus have yellowish to brown caps of 3 to 9 cm. and are slightly hairy. Gills are close, attached and are light yellow becoming brown with age. Stalks are up to 8 cm. tall and are light tan above and darker near the ground where they are wider. This common species grows on dead conifers on or in the the ground in late September. Edibility is unknown.

Hygrocybe acutoconica has a cap of 2 to 6 cm., conical to bell-shaped with a flaring upturned margin. It is very slimy, golden-yellow, and bright orange in the center. Gills are attached, yellow and wide spaced. Stalks are up to 6 cm. tall by 1 cm. wide. Although not common, it can be found on the ground in mixed forests. Edibility is unknown.

Tylopilus eximius (Bitter Bolete) is a large mushroom with a cap of 8 to 25 cm. that is dry, smooth and tan to yellow-brown and aging to red-brown. Tan stalks are up to 15 cm. tall by 3 cm. wide, broader at the base and have a darker network pattern near the cap. It is found on the ground in September in mixed and conifer forests. As the name suggests, it is edible but bitter.

Gloeophyllum sepiarium is a smaller bracket-forming shelving fungi occasionally growing up to 12 cm. wide and 7 cm. deep and 1 cm. thick but usually is much smaller.A semi-circular fungi that is rusty brown with bright yellow fringes and minutely hairy on the top side, it varies from yellow-brown to red-brown to dark brown on the underside. A widespread and common fungi, it can be found on exposed coniferous wood such as dock timbers and de-barked spruce logs in the forest. As with all bracket fungi, it is considered to be inedible.

Hydnellum concresens (Zonate Tooth) are usually solitary mushrooms but can be fused at their margins. At up to 10 cm. across, they are smooth with a zonate surface and radiating ridges, brown to purplish-brown with light colored rims. Not a common mushroom in this area, they can occasionally be found on the ground in maple hardwoods. Edibility is unknown.

Exidia glandulosa (Black Witch's Butter) is a classic example of jelly fungi. The dark olive- to shiny-black jelly strips expand greatly under humid conditions and can be up to 25 cm. in length. They are relatively common and can be found on decaying hardwood twigs and branches. Edibility is unknown.

Peniophora rufa are small scattered discs of 2-4 mm. that are tough but still fleshy brackets with a wrinkled reddish-brown surface. Commonly found on decaying willow, poplar and aspen branches. Edibility is unknown.

Key Benefits

• Access to unlimited trails and logging roads by truck or ATV.

• Boat & motor or canoe rentals for guests wishing to access the White Bear Forest.

• Local guides that know the area well and can offer assistance with on-site species identification.

• Marg's internationally famous ALL YOU CAN EAT meal plan.

Prices