Anne Elliott's photos with the keyword: Earthstar

As usual, any fungi IDs given are always tentative, not 100% confirmed. Rule is, if you are not an expert in mycology, do not pick wild mushrooms to eat! You could end up very sick, or worse. Another gloomy day today, 13 September 2019, with a temperature of 14C just after noon. Yesterday, however, it was actually sunny, so I had to get out and make the most of it. It definitely feels and looks like fall. Snow is already being forecast for parts of Alberta. It will soon be time to get all-season tires off and winter tires put on. Five days ago, on 8 September 2019, we had such a wonderful four and a half hours, searching for different kinds of fungi in the amazing forest on Rod Handfield's land, SW of Calgary. I believe this was our tenth visit - the first one I went on, being on 25 June 2009 - each one resulting in various different species. This last visit was so overwhelming! You didn't know which direction to face and which mushroom to photograph first. They were everywhere! Such a contrast to our visit on 6 August 2017, when basically there were no mushrooms (other than maybe three), because everywhere had been so very dry. A day like this can be so exhausting, not just from the walking and fresh air, but also because of all the excitement. The quality of many of my photos is not the best, as the day was very overcast - the last thing one wants when trying to take photos deep in the forest. After leaving Rod's, it did rain. I had driven myself there instead of carpooling, so that I could drive some of the backroads in the area after we had finished. The forecast was for sun and cloud - and I had foolishly believed it. The rain put an end to my plans and I headed for home. I'm so glad I had checked a special little spot near Rod's first thing in the morning, when I got there a bit too early. A few years ago, there was a beautiful display of Fly Agaric / Amanita muscaria mushrooms growing there, but not since then whenever I have checked. To my absolute delight, there were maybe half a dozen, in different stages of development. Surprisingly, we didn't come across a single one in Rod's forest this year. As always, thank you so much, Rod, for so generously allowing us to explore your property. This has been my favourite place to visit for quite a number of years now. We greatly appreciate your kindness - you are always so welcoming, and we learn so much and discover so many beautiful things. Thank you, Karel, for leading the group and helping with identifications. I'm sure at least some of us are anxiously waiting for you to have time, in between leading botany walks, to post some of your photos along with their IDs. Meanwhile, "fungus" has to be sufficient.

Found this small Earth Star fungus, along with several others, yesterday 26 August 2012, at Shannon Terrace, Fish Creek Park. When fully raised, these fungi can look like little people, with a head and legs. The one in my macro image either has stopped at this stage or else hasn't yet finished being raised from the ground. "The Earth Star is a striking soil fungus, so named because the outer wall of the spore-bearing body splits open into a star. One metaphor refers to the rays standing on their tips, like a ballet dancer standing on their toes. Like other earthstars, the outer, leathery wall (peridium) splits open into the rays of a star, but the rays fold down into "legs" that support the spherical spore case that sits on a short stalk or pedicel. The rays are firmly attached to a clump of mycelium and leaf debris." From "The Amazing Fungi " website. This short video from YouTube (less than a minute) gives an idea of how an Earth Star splits open into a star shape and then rises up from the forest floor. youtu.be/KY6mwnRPiRU

I think this little Earthstar fungus was an inch and a half to 2" across. They are such fascinating things. Found this one along with quite a few others at Shannon Terrace, Fish Creek Park, on September 17th. "The Earth Star is a striking soil fungus, so named because the outer wall of the spore-bearing body splits open into a star. One metaphor refers to the rays standing on their tips, like a ballet dancer standing on their toes. Like other earthstars, the outer, leathery wall (peridium) splits open into the rays of a star, but the rays fold down into "legs" that support the spherical spore case that sits on a short stalk or pedicel. The rays are firmly attached to a clump of mycelium and leaf debris." From "The Amazing Fungi " website. If you are interested and have the time, this is a very short, time-released video showing how an Earthstar works. www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY6mwnRPiRU "Time lapse Earthstar fungi splitting open and then rising off the forest floor. It raises itself up so that the puff-ball is above the leaf litter and gets a better chance of being struck by raindrops which expels its spores." Filmed by Neil Bromhall copyright www.complete-gardens.co.uk

A less-than-sharp macro of a little Earthstar fungus. In reality, it was maybe an inch and a half across. These are such fun to find, so different from a regular mushroom. Found this one at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park on September 10th. Usually, when I find these, they are sitting loose on leaf litter. Our fungi season is over for this year, so now have to wait another 10 months or so for the next season : ( "The outer, leathery wall (peridium) splits open into the rays of a star, but the rays fold down into "legs" that support the spherical spore case that sits on a short stalk or pedicel. The rays are firmly attached to a clump of mycelium and leaf debris." From waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0504 . If you are interested and have the time, this is a very short, time-released video showing how an Earthstar works. www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY6mwnRPiRU "Time lapse Earthstar fungi splitting open and then rising off the forest floor. It raises itself up so that the puff-ball is above the leaf litter and gets a better chance of being struck by raindrops which expels its spores." Filmed by Neil Bromhall copyright www.complete-gardens.co.uk

Came across a couple of groupings of these little Earthstar fungi at Shannon Terrace, Fish Creek Park, three days ago. Fascinating things and it's always a treat to come across one on a rare occasion. Whenever I've seen them, they are loose, and simply resting on top of the soil and leaf litter, so can easily be picked up (and then replaced in the same spot). The weather was so grey and gloomy that I picked this one up and took several steps in the hope that I might get more light coming through the trees - but there just wasn't any decent light at all, hence not the best quality image. Fun, all the same : ) "The outer, leathery wall (peridium) splits open into the rays of a star, but the rays fold down into "legs" that support the spherical spore case that sits on a short stalk or pedicel. The rays are firmly attached to a clump of mycelium and leaf debris." From waynesword.palomar.edu/ww0504 . This is a very short video showing how an Earthstar works. www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY6mwnRPiRU "Time lapse Earthstar fungi splitting open and then rising off the forest floor. It raises itself up so that the puff-ball is above the leaf litter and gets a better chance of being struck by raindrops which expels its spores." Filmed by Neil Bromhall copyright www.complete-gardens.co.uk