Some Fungi from Comerong Island

Comerong Island is a long sand island, at the end of the Shoalhaven River.

It is in effect, the southern end of Seven Mile Beach.

The flow of the Shoalhaven River has been disturbed, historically, by the diversion of the River via a canal dug by the first European landowner, Alexander Berry. The Shoalhaven River's main flow now is permanently diverted via the Crookhaven River.

"Comerong Island has the largest remaining area of
littoral (coastal) rainforest on the south coast."

Source:

Crookhaven River outlet of Shoalhaven River
Comerong Island with sand beach visible front and centre

The original opening was at "Shoalhaven Heads", but once the canal was dug, the Shoalhaven River has ceased to bust open the sand dunes which now block the original Shoalhaven Heads (some 5 Kms to the north).

Shoalhaven Heads - as seldom seen these days.
The beach is now continuous with Seven Mile Beach
(which extends to the left as far as Gerroa).
Comerong Island is just visible to the right.
It goes for approx 5 Kms
as seen in the image above.

Here are some of the Fungi we found on Comerong Island last Sunday.

A lovely small specimen of
Cryptotrama aspratum

unknown fungus
Not sure if this was a severely decomposed Fungus,
or a Slime Mould

Lovely cluster of small kidney-shaped fungi
with horizontal stems

A small (4 cm tall) black fungus
with no cap, but a solid fruiting body
Possibly Geoglossum sp
The leaves are of a Pterostylis, (Greenhood Orchid)

A lump of soft, sticky yellow Jelly Fungus
Tremella mesenterica
It takes its name from abdominal tissues (mesentery)
which separate key functional organs.
In culinary terms, think of "tripe" (offal).

Unknown gilled fungus with lovely chestnut colour
Too pretty not to photograph
even though I have no idea what it is.

 

A young cap of Russula persanguinea
These Russulas have distinctive stiff
stems which snap like a piece of chalk.

Possible Cortinarius sp.

Stem of possible Cortinarius (as above)
Note the prominent stem ring (annulus)

A wonderful moss-covered log
with thousands of these small pale brown capped fungi
Probably the best colony of fungi we saw.

 

Interesting patterns in the upper cap of this little fungus.
I love the "architecture" of fungi caps.

Possible Cortinarius perfoetens
formerly Rozites foetens

The underside of the same specimen above.

More fungal fun to come

in subsequent posts.