Fungus Tour of the Robertson Rainforest

Lots of photos, and not much commentary today.
23 people turned up today for a fun "Discovery Tour" of fungi of the Robertson Nature Reserve. We started with a discussion of the fact that the Nature Reserve has the status of a National Park, and so we were to examine and photograph fungi "in situ". Roy Freere, our leader for the day has a permit to collect scientifically interesting specimens, and we took a few unusual specimens back to the CTC to examine, and photograph. Roy and Joan will submit details of the more unusual ones to the Sydney Fungal Studies Group for precise identification, or recording of un-named species.
Thanks to Penny for coffees at the CTC, afterwards.
Ear Fungus
Auricularia sp.
My Fungi book is not with me, today, so I have used "descriptive names", in other words, my own made up names, until I can get
correct names. Please bear with me. I shall try to add correct names as and when I can.
Please come back to the site in a couple of days for proper names.



"Feather Fungus"
Pterula sp?
About 4 Cm high and wide. There were thousands of fine, stiff almost "starfish" shaped structures on a dead log. Imagine these structures, minus the frilly bits - just with straight "arms".
Those "plain" forms resemble Pterula. aff. stipata, but whether these much more elaborate ones are the same, or not, I cannot judge.
These elaborate shapes are stiff, like dry feathers.
Something one might expect to find as "soft coral" on a tropical coral reef, under water.
3 "Oyster" shaped Fungi
with different gill structures
Possible identifications:
Left - Pseudohydnum gelatinosum???
Centre - Pleurotopsis longinqua (formerly Panellus longinquus)




"Eye-lash"fungi -
tiny orange cup,
with a fringe of minute hairs.
Scutellinia scutellata
Less than 1 cm across, this orange coloured flat-cup has minite hairs around its edge. That's why I have referred to it as an Eye-lash" fungus. It is illustrated in my book, so I will get its correct name tomorrow. Click to enlarge.
One of the advantages of an unusual shape, is that it makes identification more likely.


Black "Cup Fungus"
Maybe a Plectania sp.
Approximately 5 Cm across. Black leathery structure, with distinct matt surface. Cup shaped. Slightly leathery edge. Most Cup Fungi appear to have shiny inner surfaces, but this one does not.




"Spire Fungi" (???)
Tiny little spires, with almost a "honeycomb" structure, it seems. Growing on a wet, rotten branch on the ground.
Size: approx 1.5cm high.
This one seems likely to be a "mystery fungus".




Possibly a Mycena.
Rusty brown cap, not shiny. Very strongly patterned gill structure. Dark brown stem.










A "Slime Mould"?
Click on this to enlarge. Brown rod-like structures with a covering of white spores, presumably.
Size: approx half a centimetre high.





Lime green Mycena?
I would love to know if this one is luminous. It certainly looks like it might glow in the dark. It has an unusual shade of lime green.






"Oyster" fungus with
teeth-like "gills"
Pseudohydnum gelatinosum ???
(see photo 3 above)
Click to see full sized image.
Not a conventional gill, nor a pored structure.