Yesterday's foray on a windless, warm and sunny day at Meetinghouse Pond in Marlborough NH offered the opportunity to acknowledge the good sense of some fungal genera for opting not to fruit during historic drought conditions. Notable for their absence were hedgehogs, amanitas, russulas, honeys, chickens, hens, scalycaps and stinkhorns. Notable finds included matsutakes in sub-prime condition, exuberant green cheese polypores, a large jelly tooth (Pseudohydnum gelatinosum), emerging fall oysters (Sarcomyxa serotina) in good edible shape, a graceful bolete (Australoboletus gracilis), and an ash-tree bolete (Boletinellus meruloides). The latter two fungi were our only boletes. The pond, fall foliage, and birdlife were spectacular--making for a nice walk in the woods. Bring on the rain!

George

Species list for MMC Meetinghouse Pond Foray Oct 5, 2025

 

Austroboletus gracilis GRACEFUL BOLETE

Boletinellus merulioides ASH-TREE BOLETE

Bondarzewia berkeleyi BERKELEY’S POLYPORE 

Chlorociboria sp. GREEN STAIN

Daedaleopsis confragosa BLUSHING BRACKET/MAZE POLYPORE

Fomes fomentarius/excavatus TINDER POLYPORE/HOOF FUNGUS

Fomitopsis betulina BIRCH POLYPORE

Fomitopsis/Niveoporofomes spraguei GREEN CHEESE POLYPORE

Galerina marginata FUNERAL BELL

Ganoderma applanatum ARTIST’S CONK

Ganoderma tsugae HEMLOCK VARNISH CONK/REISHI

Hypoxylon fragiforme group BEECH WOODWART

Laccaria laccata DECEIVER

Lactarius glyciosmus COCONUT MILKY

Lycogala epidendrum WOLF’S MILK (slime mold)

Lycoperdon/Apioperdon pyriforme PEAR-SHAPED PUFFBALL

Mycena sp. 

Pluteus cervinus group DEER MUSHROOM

Pseudohydnum gelatinosum JELLY TOOTH/CAT’S TONGUE

Sarcomyxa serotina LATE OYSTER

Stereum complicatum CROWDED PARCHMENT

Trametes versicolor TURKEY TAIL

Trichaptum biforme VIOLET-TOOTHED POLYPORE

Tricholoma magnivelare MATSUTAKE

Tyromyces chioneus WHITE CHEESE POLYPORE

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

 Today's foray in Fox Forest was conducted under sustained dry conditions and low expectations of fungal fructation but we encountered a surprising variety of species on the trails. See attached species list--and thank to Lori for sharing her fresh and delicious chicken of the woods.

George Caughey

MMC Foray Fox Forest Sep 21, 2025

 

Apioperdon/Lycoperdon pyriforme PEAR-SHAPED PUFFBALL

Armillaria mellea HONEY MUSHROOM

Chlorociboria sp. GREEN STAIN

Cortinarius armillatus BRACELET CORT

Cortinarius ?cinnamomeus group CINNAMON CORT

Daedaleopsis confragosa BLUSHING BRACKET/MAZE POLYPORE

Fomes excavatus TINDER POLYPORE/HOOF FUNGUS

Fomitopsis betulina BIRCH POLYPORE

Fuscoporia/Phellinus gilva/gilvus MUSTARD YELLOW POLYPORE

Gymnopilus ?speciossimus vs. subspectabilis BIG LAUGHING GYM (from Antrim)

Hygrocybe ?punicea CRIMSON WAXCAP

Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca FALSE CHANTERELLE

Ischnoderma resinosum RESINOUS POLYPORE

Lactarius ?camphoratus CANDY CAP

Lactarius deceptivus DECEPTIVE MILKY

Lactarius deterrimus/deliciosus group SAFFRON MILKY

Laetiporus sulfureus CHICKEN OF THE WOODS (from elsewhere in Hillsborough)

Lycoperdon perlatum GEMMED PUFFBALL

Mycena sp. 

Phellinus sp

Rhodofomes cajanderi ROSY POLYPORE

Rigidoporus/Oxyporus populinus MOSSY MAPLE POLYPORE

Russula spp. red, purple, gray RUSSULAS/BRITTLEGILLS

Scleroderma areolatum LEOPARD EARTHBALL (from Peterborough)

Stereum complicatum CROWDED PARCHMENT

Suillus weaverae aka granulatus BUTTERBALL/WEEPING BOLETE/DOTTED STALK

Trametes betulinum GILLED POLYPORE

Trametes versicolor TURKEY TAIL

Trametes gibbosa LUMPY BRACKET

Trichaptum biforme VIOLET-TOOTHED POLYPORE

Tubifera ferruginosa RED RASPBERRY SLIME MOLD

Tyromyces chioneus WHITE CHEESE POLYPORE

.

Drummer Hill Foray, 31 August 2025

 We had a great nature day with the flora, fauna, and birds and mushrooms, but not a lot of the latter. Thanks to Pat and Nate for leading this joint Foray, and Lori for her ID expertise for the Fungi. And Nate for his expertise to ID every thing else we could hear and see. The folks who came were very appreciative and soaking up everything like sponges.

We advertised the foray as a joint effort of the MMC and Monadnock Bird and Nature Club in the Monadnock Shopper News. We had a good response. There were 4 board members in attendance, 2 members and 10 new faces who found about the event via the ad. They all went home with membership forms.

As you can see from the photos, most of the Fungi were tree dwellers. Although it seemed aged, there was a lot of Chaga. Non fungus edibles included Partridge berries, wintergreen berries and cucumber root, aka Indian cucumber. 

The next MMC foray is at Fox State Forest on Sept. 21. Rain dances please 

Tom

Today we forayed in Friedsam Town Forest, in Chesterfield NH. Conditions for the preceding week had been warm and dry, so we were prepared for a meager showing of fruitbodies. But near the stream, we did find a decent number of hedgehogs in prime condition. Surprisingly, butterball Suillus fruited abundantly in several locations. There was a smattering of other boletes, many aging ungracefully, and, for the first time this summer, zero amanitas. Wood-rotting polypores were plentiful, and some pleuratoid agarics. Fresh beech rooters pushed up in several sites, although it was discouraging to see how many beech leaves were infected with the nematode that some predict will profoundly affect our forests in the coming years. I'm attaching a species list from today's foray.

George Caughey

August 17, 2025, in MMC Friedsam Town Forest, Chesterfield NH

 

Baorangia bicolor BICOLOR BOLETE

Cerioporus leptocephalus BLACKFOOT POLYPORE

Chlorociboria sp. GREEN STAIN

Fomes fomentarius/excavatus TINDER POLYPORE/HOOF FUNGUS

Fomitopsis betulina BIRCH POLYPORE

Fomitopsis/Niveoporofomes spraguei GREEN CHEESE POLYPORE

Ganoderma applanatum ARTIST’S CONK

Hydnum sp. HEDGEHOG

Hypoxylon fragiforme group BEECH WOODWART

Mycena leaiana ORANGE MYCENA

Oudemansiella ?furfuracea ROOTING SHANK/BEECH ROOTER

Pleurotus levis LYNX PAW

Pleurotus pulmonarius SUMMER OYSTER

Plicaturopsis crispa CRIMPED POLYPORE

Rigidoporus/Oxyporus populinus MOSSY MAPLE POLYPORE

Russula spp. pink/red RUSSULAS/BRITTLEGILLS

Russula ?variata VARIABLE BRITTLEGILL

Stemonitis ?splendens CHOCOLATE TUBE SLIME

Stereum complicatum CROWDED PARCHMENT

Suillus ?americanum CHICKEN FAT

Suillus spraguei PAINTED SUILLUS

Suillus weaverae aka granulatus BUTTERBALL/WEEPING BOLETE

Trametes versicolor TURKEY TAIL

Trichaptum biforme VIOLET-TOOTHED POLYPORE

Today's foray site was Keene's Horatio Colony Nature Preserve. As expected from the ongoing dry and hot conditions, we had to work unusually hard to locate fruiting fungi. Nonetheless, there were some interesting finds, including chicken of the woods fruiting on hemlock, summer oysters, a big chunk of chaga, dead man's fingers,  a lovely Jackson's slender caesar, an aging but still dignified parasol, and a couple of less common boletes like Leccinum longicurvipes and one tentatively id'd by Lori as Aureoboletus roxanae. Thanks to Pat for leading, Tom for coordinating, and Lori for helping with identifications.

The following is my attempt at a species list for the day:

Amanita jacksonii group SLENDER AMERICAN CAESAR

Amanita vaginata group GRISETTE

Aureoboletus ?roxanae ROXANE’S BOLETE

Cerioporus leptocephalus BLACKFOOT POLYPORE

Chlorociboria sp. GREEN STAIN

Clavulinopsis fusiformis GOLDEN SPINDLE

Entoloma strictius STRAIGHT-STALKED PINKGILL

Fomes fomentarius/excavatus TINDER POLYPORE/HOOF FUNGUS

Fomitopsis betulina BIRCH POLYPORE

Fomitopsis/Niveoporofomes spraguei GREEN CHEESE POLYPORE

Ganoderma tsugae HEMLOCK VARNISH CONK/REISHI

Humidicutis marginata ORANGE-GILLED WAXCAP

Hygrocybe cantharellus GOBLET WAXCAP

Hypoxylon fragiforme group BEECH WOODWART

Infundibulicybe gibba COMMON FUNNEL

Inonotus obliquus CHAGA

Laccaria laccata DECEIVER

Lactarius piperatus PEPPERY MILKY

Laetiporus sulfureus YELLOW-PORED CHICKEN OF THE WOODS

Leccinum longicurvipes CURVED-STALK BOLETE

Leccinum scabrum BROWN BIRCH BOLETE

Pholiota sp.

Pleurotus pulmonarius SUMMER OYSTER

Pluteus cervinus group DEER MUSHROOM

Pluteus petasatus SCALY SHIELD

Ramaria sp. CORAL

Retiboletus ornatipes ORNATE-STALKED BOLETE

Rigidoporus/Oxyporus populinus MOSSY MAPLE POLYPORE

Russula spp. red, purple, gray RUSSULAS/BRITTLEGILLS

Scleroderma citrina PIGSKIN PUFFBALL/EARTHBALL

Stereum complicatum CROWDED PARCHMENT

Stereum lobatum FALSE TURKEY TAIL

Suillus americanum CHICKEN FAT

Trametes versicolor TURKEY TAIL

Trichaptum biforme VIOLET-TOOTHED POLYPORE

Xylaria polymorpha DEAD MAN’S FINGERS

--George

Today's foray was in Madame Sherri Forest in Chesterfield, NH--a new site for us. The yield was somewhat meager given the dry conditions and the fact that much of the foray loop passing through rocky terrain chocked with mountain laurel and blueberries. However, notable finds included green cheese polypore, little nest polypore (bizarre!), several ornate-stalked boletes, a solitary perfect king bolete, and lots of peppery milk caps, which I can almost still taste. Not even one amanita. But we saw the ruins of Madame Sherri's castle, a treat!

George Caughey

The following is my attempt at today's species list:

Boletus edulis group KING BOLETE

Chlorociboria sp. GREEN STAIN

Clavulina sp. CRESTED CORAL etc.

Coltricia cinnamomea SHINY CINNAMON POLYPORE

Crepidotus applanatus FLAT CREP

Daedaleopsis confragosa BLUSHING BRACKET/MAZE POLYPORE

Entoloma strictius STRAIGHT-STALKED PINKGILL

Fomes fomentarius/excavatus TINDER POLYPORE/HOOF FUNGUS

Fomitopsis mounceae RED-BELTED POLYPORE

Fomitopsis ?ochracea OCHRE-BANDED CONK

Fomitopsis/Niveoporofomes spraguei GREEN CHEESE POLYPORE

Ganoderma applanatum ARTIST’S CONK

Hydnum sp. HEDGEHOG

Hygrocybe miniata VERMILION WAXCAP

Humidicutis marginata ORANGE-GILLED WAXCAP

Hygrocybe coccinea group SCARLET WAXCAPS

Hypomyces lactifluorum LOBSTER

Hypoxylon fragiforme group BEECH WOODWART

Ischnoderma resinosum RESINOUS POLYPORE

Lactarius piperatus PEPPERY MILKY

Lactifluus volemus group VOLUMINOUS MILKY

Pluteus cervinus group DEER MUSHROOM

Poronidulus conchifer LITTLE NEST POLYPORE

Ramaria stricta STRAIGHT-BRANCHED CORAL

Retiboletus ornatipes ORNATE-STALKED BOLETE

Rigidoporus/Oxyporus populinus MOSSY MAPLE POLYPORE

Russula spp. red, green, purple, grey RUSSULAS/BRITTLEGILLS

Russula fragrantissima group BITTER ALMOND RUSSULA

Russula parvovirescens QUILTED BLUE-GREEN RUSSULA

Stereum complicatum CROWDED PARCHMENT

Stereum ostrea group FALSE TURKEY TAIL

Suillus spraguei PAINTED SUILLUS

Trametes versicolor TURKEY TAIL

Trichaptum biforme VIOLET-TOOTHED POLYPORE