I found this mushroom today growing under some tall grass next to a brush pile. I thought it was so pretty, with its slender, delicate stalk that appeared to be pushing through the cap. It's about 6 inches tall.
I took this picture because I was trying to imagine what the sunlight would look like coming through the top. The gills of this mushroom are so intricate. They are branched and seem to extend down the stalk a little bit.
Here's a whole family of mushrooms that I found not far from the first one! These mushrooms may be of the genus Mycena. Mushrooms are the reproductive structures of the fungus. Spores are released from the gills. Most of the time, fungi live as filaments in the soil or organic matter, and they are not noticeable.
This next one is very strange. It's a jelly fungus! I found this when I was mowing my yard. The piece of tree limb must have broken off during the last thunderstorm. This fungus is nice and hydrated from all the rain we've been having the last month. I rarely see this kind. I only know it from occasional pieces that fall out of the trees onto the deck. This is the first time I've ever gotten a real specimen.
The rubbery flaps of "jelly" are translucent and a very pretty dark amber color. I held the piece of tree limb upside down and took this picture of the underside.
Jelly fungi get their nourishment from decaying wood. They can have various shapes. One species of jelly fungus is shaped like an ear, and it's edible. I wonder if this is one. The next time you eat in an oriental restaurant, ask if they have tree ear fungus! Or check that hot sour soup very closely!
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