Christmas Bells

Christmas Bells
Christmas Bells - Blandfordia nobilis

Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Kirkland Road "going off"

Today I went to check what is happening in Kangaloon (the Orchid capital of the Southern Highlands). At first I thought it was all a bit quiet - just a few Chiloglottis paired leaves amongst the grass and fallen leaves, and then some Corybas leaves, (alas, no signs of buds).

I crossed the road to the eastern side of the road verge (where I seldom find Orchids) and bingo - I was rewarded with some very nice specimens of the Cobra Greenhoods. 
Cobra Greenhood (Diplodium grandiflorum)

Same species as I found yesterday down on the Belmore Falls Road.

Seen from the rear,
to show the stylish lines of the flower
Cobra Greenhood (Diplodium grandiflorum)


Nice tall specimens (about 20 cm tall) 
and some quite dark ones. 
Very handsome flowers.

Cobra Greenhood (Diplodium grandiflorum)
Then as I was about to get back in the car I found this huge creamy topped Fungus. It had brown gills and a thick stem which had strongly coloured spore stains on it (as does a younger fungus beside the big one).

I knew that some of the Cortinarius genus have those kinds of indications - especially the strongly rusty-coloured spores. 

This was a huge cap, at least 25 cm in diameter. It was beside the road, but the area is a dense Eucalypt forest, typical Cortinarius habitat. This fits with the description of Cortinarius australiensis in Bruce Fuhrer's Field Guide to Australian Fungi. I was then able to cross-match with the Gallery of the Sydney Fungal Studies Group.

Cortinarius australiensis
note the rusty spore stains and thick stem
and the prominent "stem ring" (annulus)
Cortinarius australiensis
Mobile phone for scale


Cortinarius australiensis
Dark rusty spore everywhere
Cortinarius australiensis
It had a huge cap, more than 250mm wide
Fine gills in perfect arrangement.

Sorry but Blogger insists on showing this image vertically.
Please view by holding your head to the left.
Huge silvery-fawn cap - smooth.
Cortinarius australiensis


It is always damned good when the "sources" help confirm one's Fungus ID.

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