We’ve found many examples of this funky fungal form along trails this past week, ranging from pale orange to brick red in color, all having the basic mushroom cap and stem shape, but none having exactly the same form, and none showing gills or other reproductive structures. What are these?
Answer
These are lobster mushrooms, the result of a parasitic ascomycete fungus, Hypomyces lactifluorom, engulfing species of Russula and milky cap mushrooms, malforming their shape, and covering them with the ascomycete’s bright orange tissue. If you break one of these forms in half, you’ll see the original mushroom’s white tissue inside, and you may also detect a fishy smell.
This week’s contest winner was Sue Van Hook