The fungus pictured yesterday has been identified by Sunkat as Hericium erinaceus, also known she says as:
- pompom
- lion's mane
- monkey head
- old man's beard
- bearded shelf
- bearded tooth
- hedgehog
I found a glorious photograph at a website that says it's "a California fungus."
Yes, many are Californian, but they've been apparently well & long known in China & other areas of the world.
ReplyDeleteHere's more info & photos, many showing various shapes, sizes, & textures, etc. You're welcome to pick & choose which (if any) you might want to share with others.
Info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hericium_erinaceus
http://www.mushroomexpert.com/hericium_erinaceus.html
http://botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/jan2003.html
http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/chicago_gardener/2007/12/grow-this-hirsu.html
Photos
http://americanmushrooms.com/taxa/Hericium_erinaceus_01_Kathie_Hodge.htm
http://calphotos.berkeley.edu/cgi/img_query?stat=BROWSE&query_src=photos_fungi_sci&where-genre=Fungi&where-taxon=Hericium+erinaceus&title_tag=Hericium+erinaceus
http://www.treknature.com/gallery/Europe/Italy/photo32165.htm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/amuderick/272844727
http://www.flickr.com/photos/voodoosnakes/2130408654
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1014191291029175209KejKLNNuwp
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2854354630039380705LFdqwf
http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=4826526
http://www.messiah.edu/Oakes/fungi_on_wood/teeth%20and%20spine/species%20pages/Hericium%20erinaceus.htm
Ack it followed you out there dad! it is actually kind of cool looking, does it harm the tree?
ReplyDeleteYou know, Pineapple Girl, you might be right. It has had over twenty-four years to make the transcontinental migration...
ReplyDeleteWhat its effect on the tree might be I have no idea. It just sits there in that one spot (although it seemed on December 31 to be growing still), so I doubt that it could harm the tree. I think, in general, that trees and molds cohabit amicably. Symbiotically, I think the term is.
And, to Sunkat, thanks! for the veritable trove of additional information.