June Rainstorms Make Fungi Form

contributed by Lonelle Yoder

Early June here in central Ohio was WET and HOT! As miserable as the torrential rain, heat, and humidity (and accompanying power outages) was for us humans, the mushrooms loved it and came forth en masse – perhaps, like me, you’ve found things growing around your home and woods that you don’t usually see. A mini foray around my urban yard last week yielded an array of fun finds.

This Coprinopsis species has been popping up in all the beds I mulched this spring – perhaps it arrived with the mulch? I love the way it deliquesces. I also love the word “deliquesce.”

Here’s another coprinoid that I often see in abundance after a rainy period, probably Parasola plicatilis, pleated inkcap

This cup fungus (Peziza) is a new one for me – apparently they’re difficult to ID to species without a microscope.

You might find it surprising to see Xylaria polymorpha growing in grass – I would too, if my neighbor hadn’t told me there was a large sycamore tree in this part of the yard which was cut down before I moved in. This is the first year I’ve seen the buried roots send up Dead Man’s Fingers, but they have appeared several times this spring.

Here’s another gift from those buried sycamore roots: Candolleomyces candolleanus (formerly Psathyrella), Pale Brittlestem

Laccaria sp. growing on mulch

I’m not sure what this guy is, but he has a coprinoid buddy keeping watch over him

Another unknown species pushing its way out of a log. It was gone a couple days later when I went back to see if it had grown; perhaps eaten by a squirrel?

Another log in a shady spot produced multiple slime molds! The orange and brown globes at the bottom are possibly Trichia decipiens in two stages of maturity, and the white fuzz at the top later developed into what you see in the next photo:

The same log, three days later: Arcyria cinerea at the top and Stemonitis splendens, chocolate tube slime, at the bottom.

This week’s dry heat has sent all the mushrooms and slime molds back underground, but I hope to see more of them when the rains return. I’m especially keeping an eye out for these earth stars I found in my “way-back” last August (possibly Geastrum saccatum?):