SANParks.org Forums

I'm really interested in fungus and every rainy season, I see tons of it around, but my booklet on it isn't very comprehensive. Could we maybe get a forum on mushrooms and fungus, like we have for plants and animals?

Susan - what a great idea. I have also had a problem identifying toadstools and mushrooms with the book I have got.

Ok, well for the time being, lets use this post. I'll go find some photos and post them here

Yes, just use this as I don't think there will be enough information and participation to warrant a Fungi Forum.

Good news, there is a new book on SA Fungi coming out soon. I will let you know as soon as I know more.

Thanks Imberbe - will keep an eye open for it.

Please pardon my ignorance - do lichen also fall under this category?

As far as I know Lichen is a fungus - so i am sure it would fit in well with this topic.

Not quite Moggiedog . Rather a mixture of algae and fungi . It is called a simbiosis , whereby one organism lives off another organism , but both of them draw benefit out of living together ( maybe like a husband and wife , living in harmony )

okie - thanks for that. Perhaps it can be included here as I havent seen any other topics covering it - But I may be mistakem.

Susanb - how do you feel about that?

(okie - isnt that an oxymoron husband and wife living in harmony )

Moggie _ something like : what's yours is mine , and what is mine is also mine

Thanks for asking, but I think anything remotely like fungi can be included in this post. Unfortunately, now that I'm asking about fungi, I haven't found any to take photos of. Its not exactly that time of year, so a few more months and with the rain will come the Fungi!!

In the meantime, I'll be searching my photo's and will try get this thing started

Ok folks, well that didn't take too long. Here are some pics I found. I've IDed the ones I know, but feel free to correct me. Also posting some I don't know, so it would be great if someone could ID them for me.

Lichen
Fungus and alga. Close symbiosis, each benefiting from relationship. Alga photosynthesizes, and contributes carbohydrates. Fungus digest substrate on which it is anchored and contributes minerals


Edible Bracket
Cape leathery to woody, white to cream, smooth. Found Summer to Autumn. Fragrant spicy smell. Found on dead hardwood trees.


Found this on a termite mound


This was growing out of a rotting tree stump


This is a brack of some kind


This stuff was growing out of a wet patch of soil. Was only about 20mm high


And lastly, this is a very interesting 'oldschool' mushroom

Hi,

What a great board - first post, and a question - I came across this oddity this past weekend on our farm (between Melkbosstrand and Atlantis on the West Coast), and would love to know what it is!

Anyone out there have a book that can identify this mushroom from the Kalahari, please? Many thanks, if so.

@AFRICAT,

What you see here is an "Ink Cap / Slangkop". They normally come out after the raining season and when the rains have been good and just the right temperature, they show themself when the N'abba start coming out. It is also called the False inc cap - Padocis sp

They look very similar than most of your Caprinus Comatus species (Google them and have a look).