Portraits In The Rain

It rained yesterday! I tipped 14mm from the gauge this morning. It was needed.
During a couple of lulls between rain periods last night, I took my camera for a bit of a walk around the traps!

(Click to enlarge)


This is Neobatrachus sudelli (Common Spadefoot Toad) You can see how common this one is because it's wearing some dinner on its head! :-) The loose skin along the side of the body to the knee is characteristic of this species as well as the vertical pupil and absence of tibial glands. Also, there appears to be a mite-like insect in the l/h side of the eye. Males of this species generally call from February to November.



Here we have Limnodynastes dumerili (Pobblebonk or Banjo Frog) I expected to see more than one of this common species. Males call almost all year round, but they have been a bit quiet here, so far.

Apart from Litoria Ewingi, I've been listening to Limndynastes tasmaniensis (Spotted Marsh Frog) calling with its distinct kuk-kuk-kuk or a sound like two stones being hit together. Also, Ranidella signifera (Common Froglet) which has the typical crik crik crik crik call. I actually found one under a log when I was doing a bit of fencing down on the dam the other day. Of course, the camera was NOT in the Ute!! :-)

August Fungi No. 9

This little collection might be the last for August. Even with the promise of rain on Saturday, the sites have dried out considerably.

This one is not in its natural situation!

It was one of a colony of about 4 growing

in the open amongst unimproved pasture dominated

with onion grass. I didn't have my camera

with me so I brought it home!

Cap width 3cm

Height: 4cm.

The only thing I could find to come close was

Psilocybe subaeruginosa - except for one detail.

It did not stain blue when I handled it or bruised it!

Well, I have no idea what I have here!

It was a minute blob to the naked eye

and this photo does it no justice. (I have

made a note to myself to take more than

a couple of shots of stuff as small as this!)

I'm not sure if it belongs to the Tremella family

or is actually a slime mould.

These two are growing in my garden very

close to Poa. I first noticed them last year

but that was before I seriously took an interest

in photographing fungi.

Cap width: 6cm

Height: 12cm

Gill colour was actually white.

This is what happens when you

try to photograph gills without

upending the fungus! :-)

August Fungi No. 8

Another fruitful day crawling around on all fours and trying to avoid
the hands and knees coming into contact with macropod manure! :-)

The day was quite nice for a change and I was able to venture into
the jungle without my waterproof coat.

(Click images to enlarge)

I have no idea what this is!
Three growing at the base of a Eucalypt.

An obvious cortina.
Cap width: Approx. 2.2cm
Height: Approx. 2.cm


This was too small to clearly check the gills
without uprooting it and as I saw only one,
I left it where it was. It was growing in leaf
litter.
Cap width: 6mm
Height: 8mm
It might be Cystoderma sp.






Cap width: 5cm
Ground height: 3cm
I think it might be Cortinarius sp.
Possibly C. erythraeus


Again, no idea what this one is!
Cap width: 1cm
Height: 1.5cm
Gills were close and yellow in colour.




I think this Bracket
is Ganoderma applanatum


Possibly Peziza austrogeaster

August Fungi No. 7

Another fungi safari successfully executed today!

This one was really interesting. The naked eye saw a velvet
sheen to this fungus.

It was growing amid substrate litter.

Identification has proved to be yet another challenge! The
only thing coming close is Gloeophyllum sepiarium, but according
to Bruce Fuhrer's (A field guide to Australian Fungi)
G. sepiarium grows mainly on dead conifer material. There
are no conifers at all in the area I am working. However,
if I'm right with the identification, this one may like
rotting Prickly Acacia! :-)


Gill colour: Cream to brown
Cap width: 2cm
Height: 1cm


Another cofusing species!
Gill colour: White
Cap appears to be cylindrical
Cap width: 1.5cm
Height: 2cm


Stem hollow.
This species was growing in moss.
(Homework needed but possibly Coprinus sp!)

Yep, I found me some "Yellow Brain" !

Tremella mesenterica.

This species is on Fungimap's Target Species

list, so this will also be added to my report.

Although this Coral appears to be much lighter

in colour than the one I found a couple of days

ago, I think it's probably the same species:

Ramaria ochraceosalmoncolor and the time of

day may have influenced my camera's eye! :-)

August Fungi No. 6

Gee, I'm glad I decided to explore this new site south of my property! :-)

(Click images to enlarge)

This is Amanita xanthocephala or Vermilion Grisette.
It can be distinguished from other Amanitas
by the yellow to orange colouring at the rim of the volva.
(This fungi is one of Fungimap's Target species, so a record of this
sighting will be forwarded in due course!)
I found only one, by the way.


This Ramaria was part of a colony.
I noticed small ones on a kangaroo track, but soon
found better specimens close by. I think it's likely to be
Ramaria ochraceosalmoncolor.


I suspect this to be Aleurina ferruginea.
There were a few beneath a large Eucalypt.


I have no idea what this one is!
The shape of the cap, which is partially
veiled, interested me.
Cap width: 1cm
Height: 2cm
(ID homework required)

This was an interesting little bracket

growing on a live tree. It seems to

have gills rather than pores.

A single specimen about 6mm wide.

(ID homework required)

These were growing on the same tree

as the little job above.

I think they are possibly Rigidoporus laetus.

August Fungi No. 5

Well, no - the first two photos are not fungi, but they were everywhere when I explored my new fungi site on Sunday but only a few were in flower. Boobook has recently photographed Sundews and I agree with her. They are stunning little flowers.

Drosera bulbosa, I think.

(Click images to enlarge)








The fungi below were photographed in my normal site, about 2 minutes walk from the house.


This bracket on decaying branch.

Width of single unit - 2 cm

Possibly Stereum illudens

Single specimen - 4 cm wide.

I think this bracket may be an older

version of one I've photographed earlier.

Pycnoporus coccineus.

Underside.

August Fungi 4

Today, I chose a different location for a fungi expedition. The area is approximately 200 metres in a southerly direction from my house.

The land is infested with Prickly Acacia/Gorse (Ulex europaeus) and is pocked with Chinese mine holes, part of Victoria's goldrush during in the 19th and early 20th Century. (The Chinese dug round holes, Caucasians dug the square/rectangular ones!)

Eventually, the Prickly Acacia will be cleaned up. It is a target weed up here.

(Click to enlarge images)


The above photo was kind to the area. Not only is it scarred by non-rehabilitated mining holes, it's also suffered as a dumping place for people's rubbish over the years.

Now to the fungi!

I had no idea what I had here, until I uploaded the photos!

These minute dots on the forest litter turned out to be "Birds-nest"
fungi. I couldn't believe my eyes when I reviewed the images.
It pays to photograph any blob you think looks like a fungus.



Crucibulum laeve, I think.

The spores are dispersed by water and if you look in the

top right-hand corner of this photo, you can see 2 empty

cups just under the dead Eucalypt leaf.

This fungus was stunning. I have no idea what it is.

I only noticed it when I looked up after I'd finished with

the Bird's-nests.

Cap width: 1.4cm

Height: 4cm

Gills: Greenish.

(Homework required!)

Update: It's possible this fungus is Hygrocybe sp.

(Possibly H. arcohastata which changes colour from a purple-green to red as it matures.)

According to Fuhrer, this is an uncommon species and on that note, I am more than

likely incorrect!

Cap width: 7mm

I'm not sure about these but they look a bit

like "Jelly Babies". They might not be Leota sp.

I'd need expert opinion here, I think.

Diameter: About 7mm.

Correction to my previous ID.

More likely to be Discinella terrestris.

(Memo to Mosura: Yep, I was wrong. Got a bit overheated just finding them, I suspect! :-) )

This shot shows three.

(OMG - on checking the above photo, I think I've

missed another 'unusual' fungus! Just beneath the

top orange fungus is something with what appears

to be hairs on the cap!)

Lovely liver chestnut coloured fungi.

Cap width: 2.5cm

Height: 1cm

(Homework required!)

Umbo.

Cap width: 2.5cm

Height: 2cm

Gills: Rust colour

Stalk: White to darkish brown on older specimens.

(Homework required!)

A Small Change

I have changed the title and URL of this blog as my fungi sightings have become the dominant entries.

The prime purpose is to keep yearly records of fungi located in close proximity to my residence.

The most convenient site, apart from my own garden, is a small area of undisturbed remnant vegetation about 2 minutes walk from my house. This area has produced a vast number of specimens so far this year.

In due course, I intend to extend my study area to include locations within approximately 2klm.

Yeah, I know - the Fungi Bug has got me! :-) However, it's been a rewarding 'off-season' activity whilst the invertebrates are a bit quiet.

August Fungi No. 3

(Click images to enlarge)

This one could be Cortinarius erythraeus
Single specimen although I did find another one several metres away.
Growing in Eucalypt remnant vegetation.
Cap width: 3.5cm
Height: 2cm
Gill colour: Brown

I have no idea what this one is!

Single specimen.

Growing in Euc. remnant vegetation

Cap width: 2.5cm

Height 5cm

Gill colour: Black

(Possibly Coprinellus sp.)

Clitocybe clitocyboides

Growing in the same location as Omphalina chromacea (Aug. Fungi No. 2)

These are tiny.

Growing behind my Garden shed

Cap width: 1cm

Length of stem: 2cm

Width of stem: 2mm
Not sure what they are but I'm off to research! :-)

Update

Both August Fungi pages have been updated.

August Fungi No. 2

UPDATE:

Here's another similar puff to the one
I posted earlier. These have a root system.
This one was about 2cm diameter.


Here's what it looked like in cross-section.
The black bits are dirt I transferred whilst
performing the operation.

Almost good enough to eat with a dab of butter! :-)



Here's the innards of the one below.
It took me a while to find it, but I managed!

Yesterday, I braved the cold wind to check out some local wildflowers. I found a few but I'm having a bit of a problem identifying one of them! :-) Well, we know there's nothing out of the ordinary there!

No orchids, yet.

However, I was delighted to find this little patch of
Omphalina chromacea on a bank about 25 metres
from my property.

(Click to enlarge)

According to "Fungimap" this fungus and
a green alga have a relationship akin to
lichens.


This Puff was interesting. Quite a fleshy mouth.
It's about 3cm diameter and if I can find it again
today, I'll do a cross-section. (I didn't have a knife
with me yesterday.)