It is unlikely than any of these are related to ‘shrooms’ or ‘magic mushrooms’, the psychedelic mushrooms Psilocybe cubensis; but this is Santa Cruz County. I would not know one if I saw one. I think that #4 looks like pancake; and #6 looks like a strawberry. All except #1 were found within only a few feet of each other. They showed up immediately after the rain, in spot that had been dry all summer.
If #1 looks familiar, it is because it is the dreaded oak root rot fungus, Armillaria mellea. It was was at an adjacent building where another less developed colony of the same was featured in ‘The Humungous Fungus Among Us’, https://tonytomeo.com/2018/12/02/the-humongous-fungus-among-us/ . The colony that was featured earlier developed into mushrooms just like those shown here, but by the time these pictures were taken, had deteriorated into a sloppy puddle of chunky goo from a bad 1980s horror movie. It looked like someone ate a bucket of chocolate covered olives, and threw up. To make matters worse, the whole mess was shimmering with the squirming of maggots, and exuded an aroma that was appropriate to visual aspects of the situation. Wow! I am grossing myself out, and I experienced it already.
When I compare picture #1 of the more developed colony of oak root rot to the earlier picture of the less developed colony. I sort of wonder if some of these other pictures are redundant to each other. Could #4 be a more developed form of #3? Could #5 be the deteriorating phase of #2? Well, I don’t know. I am just a horticulturist, not a mycologist.
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This is the link for Six on Saturday, for anyone else who would like to participate:
https://thepropagatorblog.wordpress.com/2017/09/18/six-on-saturday-a-participant-guide/
I agree about the pancake and the strawberry – which is perhaps my favourite – I’m intrigued most by #5 – it looks like it’s topsy turvy – shouldn’t the pleats be on the bottom?
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There’s a really pretty one that pops up in the organic potting mix I buy from time to time. It has that same pleated top — and it’s the color of a lemon meringue pie. They fade so quickly I don’t have a good photo, but one of these days I’ll get one, and then maybe I can identify the thing.
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Yes, some of them look like they would be tasty; but I do not even like to touch them. They make me feel dirty. I know that is silly, but I don’t trust them. Seeing the deteriorating oak root rot fungus was really nasty too.
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Yeah, that is what I though. I think that the top must have deteriorated first, exposing the gills . . . somehow. I did not ask.
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An interesting selection of fungi. They look so pretty yet I bet deadly if eaten.
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They are only deadly the first time.
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I read over on SnS that you’ve been ill, Tony. Feel better soon. A virus has a hold on me as well. Your fungi are fascinating. I wouldn’t know a psychedelic one if I saw it either!
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Thank you. I am slowly recovering. I hate to think of anyone else getting this, YUCK!
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