#55 Austroboletus lacunosus

Finally some soaking rain in the Hunter Valley, and the fungus season is upon us. I found three new Boletes, one of which I was able to identify without too much trouble - Austroboletus lacunosus (formerly known as Austroboletus cookei), but it doesn't appear to have a common name.

The most distinctive feature of this fungus (and other species of Austroboletus) is the stem which is patterned with haphazard depressions separated by a maze of stringy-textured ridges. The stem is dry and has no ring, is positioned either central or off-centre, with a deep circular depression jutting into the fertile pored service.

Pore openings are large, up to 1mm, starting out pure white, turning pale pinkish brown, and aging to ochre. Spore print is pale pinkish brown. I didn't find any evidence of infestation by insect larva in any of the three specimens I examined.

Cap is convex, generally pale brown, dry and swede-like in texture (can be slippery when young and wet), and up to 150mm diameter. Tissue remnants often form a 'frill' around the rim of the cap. This mycorrhizal fungus occurs in the soil of mixed forests in eastern Australia, and New Zealand. My observations so far indicate that this fungus occurs singly.

Slightly slimy wet cap of fresh fruit body. The stem was about 130mm high

Dry cap, bulging pale pink pored undersurface

White pore surface on young specimen - notice the 'frill' around rim of cap

And notice the deep depression around the top of the stem

White flesh that does not bruise or change colour - deep pore tubes, and off-centre stem

White mycelium

A short off-centre stem on this example. Notice the right-hand side of the fungus is infected with a mould or fungus. Also notice the yellowing of the base of the stem that sometimes occurs

My sightings of Austroboletus lacunosus

[This will be updated with new sightings]

Brunkerville, NSW - mixed forest May 2011

#51 Phylloporus rhodoxanthus

This is an intriguing fungus - although it appears to have gills, it belongs to the Boletaceae family.  Phylloporus means 'gill-like pores'.  The pores are arranged in rows radiating outwards resembling gills.  I haven't actually dissected the fertile surface to closely investigate this.

Phylloporus rhodoxanthus has a common name of Gilled Bolete, which is most appropriate.

Caps start out convex (domed) with an inrolled margin, expanding and flattening up to 120mm across.  Commonly, the caps are 'biscuit' brown,smooth and dry, but often wavy or contorted. The cap will sometimes age to funnel-shaped. With age, the surface of some caps will crack into a tessellated pattern, making identification somewhat confusing, but blue bruising of the damaged flesh is a sure identification feature.

Fresh gills are pale to bright yellow, and supple, but dry out with age to a brownish yellow. Gills can extend down the stem. Spore print is brown.

The stem is about 15mm thick, yellowish white to dirty white, from about  3 to 9 cm tall, sometimes tapering to a narrower base. Yellow mycelia is sometimes visible at the base of the stem.

Phylloporus rhodoxanthus is mycorrhizal with hardwoods, especially oaks in North America.  In Australia it is often found associated with Casuarinas and Eucalypts, and is usually found in scattered groups.  I believe it to be found primarily in dry woodland.

My hand gives a size perspective - a particularly large specimen

Tessellated cap surface

White flesh bruising green-blue, supple yellow fresh gills

Inrolled margin of young fruit body

Stems tapering to a narrower base, gills aging to dirty yellow

Gills running down stem (decurrent), dry and yellowish brown. Funnel shaped.

My sightings of Phylloporus rhodoxanthus

[This will be updated with new sightings]

Gibson Way, northwestern NSW - Dry woodland under Eucalypts and Casuarinas, Sept 2010

Bingara, NW NSW - woodland after rain, Dec 2008

Medicinal properties/uses:  Work is apparently being carried out on mycelial culture of Phylloporus rhodoxanthus investigating anti-tumor effects.

Edibility:  Phylloporus rhodoxanthus is reportedly edible, but I have no confirmation or further information on this claim.

#43 Panus fasciatus

Panus fasciatus (pronunciation: Pan-uss fassy-ah-tuss), commonly called the Hairy Trumpet, is a common wood decaying fungus found on dead wood in forests and woodlands Australia wide.

The distinctive hairy funnel-like fruit bodies of
Panus fasciatus

It's not often, when an amateur is attempting to identify fungi, that there can be no chance misidentification. Panus fasciatus is one notable exception, being one of the few really 'hairy' agarics.

The cap has a diameter to 50mm, convex with deeply inrolled margins at first, maturing to a deep funnel shape. The top of the light-brown to mid-brown cap is densely covered with stiff hairs. Gills are decurrent (gills attached for some distance down the stem), moderately close, of various lengths, brown, often with violet tints. The cap is tough and leathery.

Spores are white; I have not yet successfully obtained a spore print from Panus fasciatus.

Central stem is very tough, like gristle. It is brown and densely hairy, brown, can be either slender or stout, with a height of up to 30mm.

Panus fasciatus will rehydrate following rain, and dried fruit bodies may persist for a long time.

Primarily, Panus fasciatus is a fungus of dry eucalypt forests, mallee woodland, semi-arid and desert habitats. It is a saprotrophic species. Saprotrophic fungi gain source nutrients from dead organic material by breaking down components of the substrate. Saprotrophs play a vital role in reducing the accumulation of dead organic material and in the recycling of essential nutrients, particularly carbon and nitrogen.

Pale brown gills of fresh Panus fasciatus fruit bodies.

A deep central depression in the hairy cap.

A tiny brown, leathery, hairy formation
of an emerging fruit body of Panus fasciatus.

This fresh specimen has a violet tinge to gills.

Dried, aging specimens of Panus fasciatus.

Aging Panus fasciatus fruit bodies fade, and often exhibit green tinges, which I presume is some sort of mould.

My sightings of Panus fasciatus

[This will be updated with more sightings]

Werakata National Park, NSW - Eucalypt/Leptospermum/Acacia woodland: May 09, Jul 10.

Hunter Valley, NSW - Native woodland: Jul 07, Jul 10.

Pilliga Forests, NSW - semi-arid native woodlands of northwest NSW: Sep 2009, Apr 2012, Jun 2012.

#34 Auricularia cornea

Many newly emerged fungi fruiting bodies look vastly different to the mature fungus, making identification difficult. In this blog I will try to illustrate, in photos, the different stages of the life cycle.

Auricularia cornea (Jelly Ear Fungus),belongs to the jelly group, which are generally gelatinous in texture and appearance, having a high water content.

The upper sterile surface of Auricularia cornea is covered in a dense silky coat of minute pale grey hairs. The lower fertile surface is smooth and hairless. The spores are white, and I have actually been successful obtaining a spore print (not an easy task for jelly fungi).

The shape of a mature fungus is usually convex. When crowding occurs, the fungi are contorted into irregular shapes, often with wrinkled surfaces. The consistency of the flesh is tough (doesn't break with rough treatment, and is difficult to tear with force), wobbly in a gelatinous manner - rubber-like. Colour is reddish brown, and translucent, drying to nearly black.

Auricularia cornea has the remarkable ability to rehydrate many months after it has dried out. I have witnessed a colony of this fungus rehydrate several times after rain throughout a 1 year period. I presume the fruiting bodies are resistant to insect and invertebrate attack when in a dessicated state, but I am unaware if the rehydrated fungus produces a second or third flush of spores.

Substrate is dead wood in tropical to subtropical forests, but I have observed them on dying exotic trees in suburbia.

A freshly rehydrated colony of Auricularia cornea

Tiny new velvety fruiting bodies of Jelly Ear Fungus.
The right-hand top corner of the image is covered
by a mature specimen.

A close-up of new fruiting bodies about 1cm in diameter.
Notice more new fungi pushing up the bark of the tree.

Smooth maturing specimens.
Notice the hollow surface white with spores.

Without crowding, the fungi are not wrinkled.
Minutely hairy upper surface, smooth undersurface

Some will take on strange shapes,
but still generally convex.
Note the tiny new fruiting bodies above and below.

The velvety hairy upper surface joined to wood.

Fruiting bodies can reach in excess of 100mm.

Crinkled, translucent, crowded fruiting bodies.

Auricularia cornea fruiting bodies dry to an almost black
under surface, but will return to cinnamon-brown
when rehydrated by rain.

My sightings of Auricularia cornea

[This will be updated with more sightings]

Singleton, Hunter Valley, NSW - Dying exotic tree, residential garden, all year

Barrington Tops National Park, NSW - Dead wood, rainforest

Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, Heatherbrae, HV - Dead wood, woodland

***** ***** *****

Edit - an interesting experiment: Following a heavy downpour 14th July 2010, I collected some rehydrated fruit bodies of Auricularia cornea from the tree in my front yard and prepared them for spore prints. I successfully collected excellent spore prints, therefore it is interesting to note that rehydrated fungi (this species, at least), do in fact produce new flushes of spores.

#25 Stereum ostrea

Stereum ostrea, Golden Curtain Crust, is a leathery shelf fungus belonging to family Stereaceae. Pronunciation Steer-ee-um Austria. This common fungus often makes a spectacular, long-lasting, massed display. It is found in many parts of the world, and internationally it is known as 'False Turkey Tail'.

It is found on dead wood (fallen or standing) in wet native forests, and its Australian distribution includes the eastern coastal and mountainous areas from north Queensland, through NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.

Attractive concentric zones and soft leathery texture

Fruiting bodies are broadly attached to the substrate, either singly or often fused laterally forming overlapping rows and commonly colonising whole logs, remaining fresh-looking for months. The thin shelf, fan or funnel-shaped fruit-bodies are only about 2mm thick with concentric (circular) bands or zones of yellow, orange and many shades of brown, usually with a pale wavy margin. Brackets can be up to 100mm, or more, in diameter.

The upper suface of fruit-bodies feels ridged but smooth, and 'velvety' with very short hairs. Stereum ostrea has a smooth underside which distinguishes it from the somewhat similar Trametes versicolor which has pores on the underside. Spore print is white. I have not successfully obtained a spore print of Stereum ostrea.

Fused fruit bodies form overlapping rows of 'shelves'

Smooth but lumpy lower surface of Stereum ostrea can be white, yellow, orange or gold. Illustrated in the image, fruit-bodies can be adhered to the underside of logs with only the fertile underside visible. All fungi surfaces here are the lower surface.

The sun shines through the thin leathery fungi 'fans' and highlights the orange circular bands. Notice the narrow band of cream lining the margin, which is a feature of Stereum ostrea.

My sightings of Stereum ostrea

[This will be updated with new sightings]

Barrington Tops National Park, NSW - on felled logs in damp forest - Jul, Sep.

A massed display of Stereum ostrea

#16 Polyporus arcularius

Being cream to light brown in colour, this fungus can be somewhat inconspicuous, but it features some interesting characteristics, most notably the fertile under-surface. The white to cream pores are 'coffin'-shaped, increasing in size from the rim to the centre. Pore shape, along with other features, makes Polyporus arcularius reasonably easy to identify. Sore print is white.

Scaley, but smooth cap surface with central depression

Caps with a diameter more than 100mm have been reported, but the specimens I have found have not exceeded 60mm, and have more commonly been between 30mm and 50mm. The light brown cap is scaley but smooth to touch, with a central depression. This depression can range from a dimple to a shallow 'funnel'.

The cap margin is lined with fine white 'hairs', which is another identifying feature of Polyporus arcularius. Flesh is tough, white and very thin.

Notice the way in which the pores meet the stem. This attachment is described as sinuate or decurrent.

The stem is central, light to dark brown, smooth, but often with darker brown scales or blotches. Polyporus arcularius fruiting bodies are found on dead wood (native and exotic) in a variety of habitats from rainforest and woodland, to paddocks and urban areas. I am unsure as to its distribution in Australia.

Smooth concentric (in rings) scales, and 'hairy' margin

My sightings of Polyporus arcularius

[This with be updated with further sightings]

Hunter Valley, NSW - Unimproved grazing paddock on fallen timber - Nov.

Hunter Valley, NSW - Woodland on fallen timber - Nov.

Hunter Region Botanic Gardens - Heatherbrae - Woodland and grassed areas on fallen timber - Nov.

Barrington Tops National Park, NSW - Rainforest floor on fallen timber - Mar, Apr, Nov.

Hanging Rock, NSW - Pine plantation on fallen timber - Apr.

Pilliga Forests, NW NSW - mixed native forests - Oct 2010, Nov 2010

Baradine, NSW - residential area, stump Jun 2010, on lawn (buried timber) Oct 2012.

Freeman's Waterhole, NSW - mixed forest May 2011

Notice the inrolled edge of the juvenile fruiting body in the background.

#10 Xerula australis

Xerula australis, until recently was known as Oudemansiella radicata var. australis, and is still referred to as being part of the Oudemansiella 'group'. Its common name is Rooting Shank, which refers to the underground tapering root-like extension of the stem. Pronunciation is Zer-rule-ah austrah-liss.

A young specimen showing height comparison

The matchbox in the previous image gives an indication of the height of this fungus. I have seen mature specimens to about 280mm high.

The new cap is mid to dark brown, viscid (slimy) and broadly convex (domed). The cap flattens and dries with age to a grey-brown, often with wrinkles and/or dimples, and can reach a diameter of about 80mm. Dimples are evident in the first image.

An aging cap with a darker, very slight umbo (swelling at the centre of the cap)

Gills are white, various lengths, deep and widely spaced. The white gills contrast vividly with the brown cap making this a striking fungus. Spore print is white.

Another striking feature of this fungus is the height of the stalk, often standing tall above surrounding grasses. The stalk is dry and covered in short hairs giving a 'velvety' appearance. I have noticed the stalk of some mature specimens appears to have a vertical 'seam'

A mature Xerula australis (right) together with an aged and a collapsed specimen, all fruiting from dead wood.

An aging cap turning up into a distorted shape, and displaying wide-set white gills.

Xerula australis is a common fungus that grows in native forests, grasslands and parks. It grows solitary or in small groups, and is usually attached to underground wood. According to Fungimap Australia of Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, its distribution includes eastern NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, south-eastern SA, and south-western and the central coast of southern WA.

Shiny cap of an immature specimen

My sightings of Xerula australis

[This will be updated with more sightings]

Barrington Tops National Park - rainforest, dead wood: Mar, Apr.

Hunter Region Botanic Gardens (Heatherbrae) - grass and sand: Apr, May, Jul 10, Jun 2012.

Singleton, Hunter Valley - mulched public garden and unmulched residential garden: Jul 10.

Coonabarabran, NSW - Native woodland, leaf litter: Aug 10.

Brunkerville, NSW - mixed forest May 2011, Jun 2011.

Newcastle University NSW - mulched gardens, Jun 2012

Pilliga Forests (NW NSW) - Timmilallee NP (Southern section) Jun 2012.

#8 Pseudohydnum gelatinosum

Jelly fungi are intriguing growths. You need to have a keen eye and make a close inspection of most fungi to really appreciate their intricate beauty and marvelous structure.

Pseudohydnum gelatinosum, Toothed Jelly Fungus, family Exidiaceae, is a beautiful thing. Pronunciation: Sue-doh-hid-numb gelat-in-oh-sum. They are found on rotting wood or living trees in wet forests in southeast Queensland, eastern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.

Toothed Jelly Fungi 30mm wide.

Fruiting bodies are usually tongue or fan-shaped, grey to brown, and quiver when touched. The upper surface of the young fungus has a texture similar to a tongue, becoming gelatinous (slimy) with age. I have seen Toothed Jelly fungi up to 80mm wide.

The lower surface is covered in white pointed tooth-like projections up to a couple of millimetres long. If a stem is present, it will be short and wide.

A close-up of the fertile underside of the fungus

Stumpy stalk and tongue-shaped grey cap

Toothed Jelly Fungi grow singly or in overlapping clusters. The upper and lower surface is soft to the touch which distinguishes it from other grey or brown shelf fungi that have firm spines. As they age, they collapse into a brown glutinous blob, as shown in the image below.

An aging Toothed Jelly (left) will collapse into jelly-like blob (right)

My sightings of Pseudohydnum gelatinosum

[This will be updated with more sightings]

Barrington Tops National Park - on discarded rotting milled timber on rainforest floor - Apr, Jun.

An elegant fungus