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sennaciisto
Thought criminal


Registered: 09/15/15
Posts: 55
Loc: Massachusetts
Last seen: 4 months, 10 days
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ID help
#22335945 - 10/05/15 08:01 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Hi everyone, This is my first post. I've been foraging for Chicken-of-the-Woods, puffballs and chanterelles for about 7 or 8 years, and just in the last few months I've decided to devote time to learning more species and possibly trying my hand at cultivation. Anyway, last week I found this cluster pictured below (apologies for the crappy photos, the lighter ones taken with flash give a better idea of the color). It wasn't fully developed, but it was in a heavily traveled area so I had to grab it quickly.




Habitat: Where does it grow? Northeast US. At the edge of a heavily wooded area. They weren't growing directly on wood, but they were in an area with lots of fallen branches/rotting wood on and under the ground cover.
Gills: Gills attached, tan/light brown/yellowish (?) color
Stem: Light brown/tan with many areas of bright yellow streaks. Solid throughout. Length averages about 2", width averages 1-1 1/2 cm (for the larger mushrooms in the cluster)
Cap: Average width about 1" (for the larger specimens; as I said, they weren't fully developed), smooth, convex, similar color to the rest of the mushroom, but maybe a little darker (brown/tan)
Spore print color: rusty orange/brown
Bruising: Difficult to tell, possibly a light bluish bruising, but very light and not distinct.
Other information: My nose isn't refined enough yet to give a good description of the scent.
My guess is Gymnopilus junonius after consulting several keys and guidebooks, but I wanted to make sure I'm not missing something. Thanks in advance for any help.
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mwhtmn
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Registered: 07/30/15
Posts: 723
Loc: USA
Last seen: 7 years, 10 months
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Compare to Gymnopilus luteus
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sennaciisto
Thought criminal



Registered: 09/15/15
Posts: 55
Loc: Massachusetts
Last seen: 4 months, 10 days
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Re: ID help [Re: mwhtmn]
#22336093 - 10/05/15 08:51 AM (8 years, 3 months ago) |
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Thanks, mwhtmn. I've been looking at pics of both species on mushroomobserver, but both luteus and junonius look so similar. What should I look at to distinguish them? The color seems to be so variable.
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The Lightning
Mycology Enthusiast


Registered: 09/06/11
Posts: 3,889
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Quote:
Bruising: Difficult to tell, possibly a light bluish bruising, but very light and not distinct.
Gymnopilus collections often require an attentive eye. I would re-photograph this collection and try to show quality images of any green-bluish bruishing. Slicing a mushroom in half may help. Also check the younger individuals.
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sennaciisto
Thought criminal



Registered: 09/15/15
Posts: 55
Loc: Massachusetts
Last seen: 4 months, 10 days
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Thanks, Lightning. I just went back to the spot where I found them, and there was another bunch, much more developed. These definitely look more like the pics I've been seeing of luteus, rather than junonius. Here's a few new pics:

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The Lightning
Mycology Enthusiast


Registered: 09/06/11
Posts: 3,889
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Hesler's key to Gymnopilus is at the BOTTOM of the following link:
http://www.svims.ca/council/Gymnop.htm
I'd like your opinion on which species description you feel it fits.
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sennaciisto
Thought criminal



Registered: 09/15/15
Posts: 55
Loc: Massachusetts
Last seen: 4 months, 10 days
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Thanks for sending the link, Lightning. Based on the key, I would say it fits the description of G. luteofolius. I noticed that the key is for the Pacific Northwest. I'm in the Northeast (Massachusetts). There's also no G. luteus described in the key. Also, I'm seeing lots of scales on the caps of luteofolius pics that I'm looking at; there are no scales to speak of on my samples.
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The Lightning
Mycology Enthusiast


Registered: 09/06/11
Posts: 3,889
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I noticed there is a annular zone on many (or is it all?) of the mushrooms in your collection. This could help nudge you in the right direction.
How would you describe the annular zone in comparison to the following species: G. luteofolius, G. luteus, G. ventricosus, and G. Junonionus (=G. spectabilis and G. subspectabilis)?
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sennaciisto
Thought criminal



Registered: 09/15/15
Posts: 55
Loc: Massachusetts
Last seen: 4 months, 10 days
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Yes, they all have an annular zone. I've compared descriptions of the four species you recommended, and I'm leaning away from G. ventricosus because the annular zone doesn't seem to match the description of a "thick, persistent jagged ring", and the stems also seem to be smaller than the description mentions and aren't swollen in the middle. The younger samples I picked earlier also don't seem to match the color of the descriptions of G. luteofolis. Other than that, I think the descriptions of the annulus from the other three could all match my samples.At this point I'm still divided between G. junonius or G. luteus. I have noticed some faint blue bruising on the new samples I picked earlier today. Thanks again for all your guidance, Lightning.
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The Lightning
Mycology Enthusiast


Registered: 09/06/11
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Well, let's go deeper.
What is the aroma like (use the very best description)?
If you nibble a small piece just to get the taste on your buds (and then spit it out), how would you describe the flavor?
What species of tree was it discovered on?
If you happen to have a microscope around, you can measure the spores, check the pileus trama pattern, and check the stipe for its pattern and potential caulocystidia cells.
Additional photos can only help - now and in comparing new collections in the future.
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The Lightning
Mycology Enthusiast


Registered: 09/06/11
Posts: 3,889
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What's going on with that giant brown spot on the cap of one of those?
Can you also take a spore print on aluminum foil or paper?
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sennaciisto
Thought criminal



Registered: 09/15/15
Posts: 55
Loc: Massachusetts
Last seen: 4 months, 10 days
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I have a microscope at home, so I'll check what I can tonight (up to now I've been stealing work hours). Thanks
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sennaciisto
Thought criminal



Registered: 09/15/15
Posts: 55
Loc: Massachusetts
Last seen: 4 months, 10 days
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Not sure what's up with that spot. It was like that when I picked it. There may have been another cap partially covering it?
I did take a spore print, and it's a rusty orange/brown.
Just did a quick taste test too, and it's a typically mushroomy flavor, not bitter.
Smell is strong, nutty.
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