Observations by ccmaymd

Agaricus sp. growing in piñon/juniper/Ponderosa pine/Gambel oak habitat. Rapid yellow staining when bruised, esp. in stem. This evolved to a distinctly brownish color after 10-15 min. Had a phenolic "band-aid" odor. Taste not distinctive. Specimens air-dried and sent to Terri Clements for sequencing.

This collection was a curiosity because of its unusual substrate - a thick, soft, multi-year mound of rotting juniper berries at the foot of a very large, old shaggy-bark juniper (commonly known as "cedar" in this locality.) Could be a Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma/J.utahensis).

When I heard of an Agaricus growing in the piñon-juniper forest, I stopped by to photograph and collect it, thinking it might be the rare Agaricus pinyonensis. I showed the images to Arora, who believes it to be too small to be that species, and moreover there are no piñon pines within at least 100 feet.

It has a typical pleasant mushroomy Agaricus smell and taste, with no phenolic or almond components. A faint but stable pinkish tinge is observed when the flesh of the cap is cut, but no appreciable staining is seen on the pileipellis or stipitipellis when crushed or bruised.

A voucher specimen was collected and dried, and will soon be sent to Terri Clements for possible sequencing.

Ringless Amanita with peach-colored pilipellis demonstrating a few patchy remnants of the universal veil and a striated cap margin. White, floppy volva approximately 2cm in length. Internal surface of volva is peach-colored, closely matching cap. Free white gills. No noticeable odor. Growing under aspen, Populus tremuloides.

This is believed to be Amanita "barrowsii" nom. prov.

DNA sequenced by Terri Clements.

This ascomycete cup fungus is posted on behalf of Trevor Ian Patching, who discovered it growing on the weatherbeaten, mossy ash-wood trim of his old Morris Minor "Traveller" estate wagon in the south of England. These vehicles were produced from 1953 to 1971. They were the last production wood-bodied cars in the world, powered by a 37 hp flat four and known for good handling characteristics.

PILEUS: Funnel shaped cap about 6 cm diameter, whitish in the central depression and light yellow brown elsewhere on the pileipellis. Margin slightly inrolled, but could be an artifact of desiccation. No staining. Scattered tiny squama of 1-2 mm, minimally elevated, sl. darker than the rest of the cap. Context white, non-staining, thin but relatively tough and flexible.

HYMENIUM: Narrowly spaced, non-forking, decurrent light yellow-orange gills of shallow (<3mm) depth. Many lamellulae of random locations and lengths in the most peripheral 30%. Gills are resistant to tearing or detachment. No staining or bruising.

STIPE: About 5mm thick and 30mm long. Firm, resistant to tearing, flexible. Even from top to bottom except slight bulge at base. No well formed annulus or volva, but slightly shaggy at its upper 30-40%. Very light yellow color of stipitipellis at apex decreasing to off-white at base. Context completely white. No staining.

SENSORY: Relatively desiccated with little scent, but a faintly floral odor is noted. No noteworthy taste.

SPORES: Unable to assess in absence of microscopy facility. Too desiccated to throw spore print.

HABITAT: Growing from a weathered softwood log of unknown species. Tropical atoll less than 1 m above sea level. Heavy rains 2 days ago, mostly sunny and warm since.

Found on FR 148 near Willow Springs Lake.

White latex appear briskly when cut, with minimal, slow yellowing.

Bland taste with no appreciable acridity.

Off-white spore print.

Microscopic description:

7.3 [7.7; 10.1] 10.7 × 6.3 [6.7; 8.0] 8.1 µm; Q = 1.04 [1.06; 1.33] 1.38; N = 30; C = 95%; Me = 9.0 × 7.5 µm; Qe = 1.20

Obvious kinship to Destroying Angel.

Under Pinus ponderosa and Quercus gambelii.

No bruising/staining, no distinctive scent; not tasted.

Spore description: 9.9 [9.9; 11.2] 11.5 × 5.5 [5.7; 6.7] 6.7 µm; Q = 1.54 [1.58; 1.89] 1.93; N = 30; C = 95%; Me = 10.5 × 6.2 µm; Qe = 1.69

4-spored basidia.

Air-dried fruiting body and a fragment preserved in 95% ethanol delivered to Terri Clements for sequencing.