Yesterday's foray at Harvard Forest in Petersham MA was held jointly with Boston Mycolological Club and Pioneer Valley Mycological Association. It was a beautiful Fall day for foraging: warm and sunny. There had been up to 2 inches of rain the preceding week but the streams and overall conditions remained dry, as in the entire region. Nonetheless, with a small army of searchers, we found a decent selection of fungi and fellow travelers like slime molds. Although there was not a bounty of choice edibles, large beautiful cauliflowers (Sparassis) were found under red pine as well as a selection of puffballs. There were no true chanterelles, but quite a few false chanterelles (Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca). Amanitas were scant and largely limited to the false death cap A. lavendula. An attractive selection of corts included C. corrugatus and showy purple fruit bodies that may have been C. alboviolaceus. Boletes were dominated by dotted stalk Suillus weaverae but also included other attractive examples of Retiboletus and the seldom-encountered novelty bolete Pseudoboletus parasiticus emerging from a pigskin earth ball (Scleroderma citrina). Other intriguing finds included Baeospora fruiting on white pine cones, the basidiolichen Multiclavida mucida, the jelly cup Guepiniopsis buccina, the cluster cap Connopus acervatus, buttery collybia Rhodocollybia butyracea (attached to a pine cone!) plus another of the same genus R. maculata, and the alder scalycap Pholiota alnicola. Bring on the rain!
George Caughey
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