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!
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.
Gymnopilus luteofolius is a widespread but not a common mushroom found on rotting logs and/or wood chips. Caps are dry, medium to darker brown with paler centers and slightly convex with the margins rolling inwards over the yellow to rusty-brown gills. Caps are 2 to 6 cm. wide and the stalks of the same color as the caps are up to 8 to 10 cm. tall by 1 cm. wide. Poisonous.
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.
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.
Dacrymyces palmatus (Orange Jelly) is a unique fungi that resembles a mass of bright yellow, soft and slimy gelatinous eggs. 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 and can be found on conifers as well as on the forest floor after prolonged rainy periods in mid to late summer. Edibility is unknown.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 seen here. 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.
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.
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?
Access to unlimited trails and logging roads by truck or ATV.
Boat/motor & 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.
ALL YOU CAN EAT meal plan.
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Description |
Dates |
Price |
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Accommodations |
Weekly Sat /Sat |
2 or 3 |
$995.00 /with boat |
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Daily |
2 or 3 |
$150.00 if available |
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Weekly |
motel unit |
$300.00 (single) $475.00 (double) |
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Daily |
motel unit |
$54.95 (single) |
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Cots: $10 p.p. per night/$50.00 weekly |
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Meals |
2 meals (dinner and breakfast) $30.00 |
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Guiding |
Up to 6 people |
7 or more people |
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Half day - $100.00 |
$15.00 p.p. |
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Whole day - $150.00 |
$20.00 p.p. |
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Water Taxi |
$25.00 minimum or $15.00 per person |
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Tri-pod Rental |
Half Day - $10.00 Whole Day - $15.00 |
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Boat Rental |
Half Day - $40.00 Whole Day - $70.00 |
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Canoe Rental |
Half Day - $20.00 Whole Day - $30.00 |
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Note: Damage deposit required on all rentals. |
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All reservations require a 50% deposit by credit card.
Cancellations with refunds are accepted prior to 30 days before date of arrival.
No monetary refunds for early returns on rentals.
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