Fungi, Lichen & Slime Molds 1

We think this is an Aspen Bolete mushroom, seen amongst trees on a walk at Nose Hill on Tuesday. I realize that my mushroom photos tend to be "pretty pictures" and are not ideal to lead to an actual ID, LOL.

This rather fine mushroom was growing in the south, private part of the Cross Conservation Area, just southwest of Calgary.

I was lucky enough to be invited to go with three friends to the mountains in Kananaskis for the whole day today. The University of Calgary had a Biogeoscience Open House at their Field Station near Barrier Lake today. The weather was absolutely perfect, until we drove home and the sky blackened quickly. Had some hail in my area this evening. We viewed the various exhibits at the centre and thoroughly enjoyed (was it really THREE times?) the fresh fruit salad, pastries and coffee. Afterwards, we went for a botany walk in the area, including through the woods that edge Barrier Lake and the various plants were recorded. This BLUE fungus was discovered there - we've never seen anything like it before! I used flash for this photo, which has emphasized a little too much the "fringing" around the edges. These fungi looked rather like small blue stones. We'd love it if someone is able to suggest an ID! Later: thanks so much for the ID, Doug! If you are correct (and to my untrained eye, it looks like Hydnellum caeruleum could be an accurate ID), then the following information will apply: "Hydnellum is a very interesting genus with very unusual fruiting bodies. At least you might consider them unusual if you're used to only looking at mushroom-like fruiting bodies. Hydnellum fruiting bodies are distinguished by their indeterminate growth habit (they can engulf twigs and leaves) and, to bear their basidiospores, they have teeth on the underside instead of gills or pores." From botit.botany.wisc.edu/toms_fungi/aug2003.html . I remember it had grown around two blades of grass.

A mushroom found in the forest at Bebo Grove, Fish Creek Park.

Saw this gorgeous mushroom on a walk in Bragg Creek Natural Area today. To me, it looks a little like carved wood. I was a bit disappointed with my photos, as I did try to get ones that I would be happy with. Images looking down on the fungus were not very good. I've never seen such a spectacular mushroom : ). The very enjoyable walk was partly on private property, but the people who took us knew their neighbours. A great variety of plants, both in the wooded areas and the very boggy, open places. We had quite a wet-footed hike : )

Thank you, George, for finding this very interesting and quite amazing sight this morning, at Strathcona Ravines! These Saskatoon berries have Cedar apple rust on them, a type of fungus. I'm not sure that the word "beautiful" is the right word to use, but it is certainly strange. "Cedar apple rust, which is caused by the fungus Gymnosporangium, needs juniper plants and certain Rose family plants (such as saskatoons, hawthorns, and in some cases, apples) to complete its life cycle. On junipers, the disease appears as woody, spherical galls. In the spring (early May), brown, horn-like projections called "telia" grow out of the woody galls. During wet weather, the telia absorb water, swell up immensely, and become orange and gelatinous. At this stage the disease emits spores that infect the Rose family plants to cause the bright orange spots. The orange spots will eventually produce their own horn-like structures called "aecia" on the fruit and underside of the leaves; from the aecia, spores are produced that re-infect the junipers in the late summer. The disease must pass from junipers to Rose family plants to junipers again; it cannot spread between Rose family plants." From gardenline.usask.ca .

I thought this was quite a beauty, with the tiny markings on the top surface, and no little pieces nibbled out of it. Seen at Bragg Creek Natural Area.

If you only knew what I went through today to get some mushroom photos!!! I have a phobia of driving, but finally pushed myself to definitely get out of my "comfort zone". I had been to Brown-Lowery Provincial Park (southwest of the city) a handful of times before and vowed I would never drive there or go walking there, on my own. Friend, Doug, had driven me there many weeks ago (thank you so much!) and then we went back with another friend, so I was hoping that these trips would be enough to make me go there myself, despite my fear. And I SO wanted to search for mushrooms to photograph. Today was the day - I finally did it! I have to admit that, despite my careful look at a very rough trail map, I still ended up doing my walk on a different trail through the dense forest from what I thought I was on, LOL! The important thing is that, not only did I do it, but I even found my way back home, ha, ha.

This was such a strange looking fungus that I found at Brown-Lowery Provincial Park a few days ago. Some looked square, others triangular and the rest looked rather misshapen. Just have to go back when I can, to see what other treasures of the dense forest I can find :) As usual, I have no idea what it is called.