Characteristics and traits

Since starting this class and making observations, along with the recent rains we have been having, I've been really interested in fungi! I've gotten a lot of tips from the fungi community here on iNat about the important characteristics to ID-ing various fungi, such as the gill structure, the top of the caps, and the stems. Even smell can distinguish, and so on.
It's very difficult to get up close photos with just an iPhone, especially with things like plants which have a lot of area it tries to focus on. But I did my best.
The two things I was most excited about were the Fly Agaric mushroom and a California Newt. The newt was not wet as I expected it to be, and I was also surprised at how far away from water it must have been. Its skin was rough but soft at the same time, and I wondered how could he possibly survive out there amongst the woods by himself -- he also moved really slow! I found out later his skin is toxic to ward off predators, and they indeed move away from water when they are done breeding (though it was early in the season, this was supposedly not until May).
The Fly Agaric was less dried out than his other fungi friends because he was in a permanently shaded part of the forest, and covered by a lot of leaves and pine needles holding in the soil moisture (I cannot believe I saw it). I learned later it is poisonous, which I think accounts for its vibrant red color warning "Stay away!".
The Sibley Volcanic Preserve was an amazing part of the East Bay!

Posted on March 17, 2014 03:18 AM by bburs