Nature at Lake Tahoe

Letharia vulpina, commonly known as the wolf lichen (although the species name vulpina, from vulpine relates to the fox), is a fruticose lichenized species of fungus in the family Parmeliaceae. It is bright yellow-green, shrubby and highly branched, and grows on the bark of living and dead conifers in parts of western and continental Europe, the Pacific Northwest and northern Rocky Mountains of Western North America. This species is somewhat toxic to mammals due less ↑

Sarcosphaera is a fungal genus within the Pezizaceae family. It is a monotypic genus, containing the single species Sarcosphaera coronaria, commonly known as the pink crown, the violet crown-cup, or the violet star cup. It is a whitish or grayish cup fungus, distinguished by the manner in which the cup splits into lobes from the top downward. It is commonly found in the mountains in coniferous woods under humus on the forest floor, and often appear less ↑

Geopyxis carbonaria is a species of fungus in the genus Geopyxis, family Pyronemataceae. First described to science in 1805, and given its current name in 1889, the species is commonly known as the charcoal loving elf-cup, dwarf acorn cup, stalked bonfire cup, or pixie cup. The small, goblet-shaped fruitbodies of the fungus are reddish-brown with a whitish fringe and measure up to 2 cm (0.8 in) across. They have a short, tapered stalk. Fruitbodies less ↑

Umbilicaria phaea is a brown, umblicate foliose lichen that grows up to 6 cm in diameter, sometimes in colonies covering large patches of desert rocks.:127 One variety that grows in northern California is brilliant red. It is (monophyllous) with a single 1 - 5 cm flattish leaf-like cap on top of an anchoring stem(umblicate). The leaflike top is smooth with some lobes, roughly circular, thin, and brittle. The lower surface is light gray to light brown. less ↑

Caloscypha is a fungal genus in the family Caloscyphaceae (order Pezizales). A monotypic genus, it contains the single species Caloscypha fulgens, commonly known as the spring orange peel fungus, the golden cup, or the dazzling cup. It is a cup fungus, typically up to 4 centimetres (1.6 in) in diameter, with a bright to pale orange interior and orange; specimens that are old or bruised often have an olive-green discoloration, especially around the less ↑

Gyromitra gigas, commonly known as the snow morel, snow false morel, calf brain, or bull nose, is a fungus and a member of the Ascomycota. G. gigas is found in Europe, western North America where it is common in mountainous areas in coniferous forests, and eastern North America where it is found with both conifers and hardwoods. It is referred to as one of the false morels, due to its similar appearance and occurrence in the spring... less ↑

Morchella snyderi is a species of fungus in the family Morchellaceae. Described as new to science in 2012, it occurs in the non-burned montane forests of western North America, including California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. It produces fruit bodies up to 14 cm (5.5 in) tall with ridged and pitted conical caps, and stipes that become pitted in maturity. The color of the morel is yellow to tan when young, but the cap ridges become brown to... less ↑