Hey mushroom buffs

I'm assuming those are local to you in FLA? The reason I ask is that my suggestion would be to find someone local who knows what grows around you, what's safe and what is not, and would be willing to provide a little local knowledge. Mushrooms are definitely a place where a little bit of knowledge can get you in trouble.

My wife and I took a 1 day mushroom class sponsored by the local land trust a couple of years ago, and instructor has been willing to have us check in with her on occasion with a photo or question. So far she has always confirmed what we thought was correct, but its nice to have a second opinion from someone more informed. I see classes offered through the adult ed programs in the local schools, too.
 
They look like really young hen of the woods. ( should have pores underneath, not gills) But to small to tell. My advice is to let them grow, then ID. Spore prints are a big help.
 
Last edited:
Stop by your local book store and pick-up a mushroom key, or check one out at the library. Familiarize yourself with the terms applied to mushroom's individual structure and appearance; gills or not, gills parallel each other or joining to form bifurcated branches, gills attached to the stalk or not, etc.

One thing I can tell you it is not is that it is not a bolete. Members of this group all have sponge shaped gills, many of these grow under or on decaying pines. Many are edible, but largely tasteless. But, then there is Boletus edulis, great as a base flavor in soups and stews.

As Jode mentioned, you will also need to take a spore print, best done on plain white copier paper with some type of cover over the mushroom to render the air immediately around the fruiting body inert. Color and texture of spores is usually enough to get you through the couplets that are based on spore print information. Sometimes you will need to look at them individually under magnification.

You are also in a part of the United States where Psylocybe cubensis grows in abundance, if you know where to look. Be careful.
 
Thanks y'all. I'll see if I can find someone who knows something about mushrooms. I just have a big crop of whatever those are right now and it got me to wondering. I will pick up a book though and learn about wild mushrooms.
 
Looks like a Chanterelle; but as previously stated taking mushroom ID advice, based on picture, off the internet can be a recipe for disaster. A look at the underside and a spore print would help. Finding someone you trust and who really knows mushrooms is best. I've been picking mushrooms with my family all my life and I still approach it with a healthy level of caution.
 
Last edited:
Put your (mature) mushroom on a piece of paper (best to have it half on a black paper and half on a white paper) let it sit for a few hours to a day. The spores will fall off the mushroom and leave a 'print'. The two colors of paper will help identifying if the spores are very dark or very light, so the print will show up on at least one paper. This is very useful in positively differentiating between look alikes that have different color spore prints. Chanterelle spore print is pale cream color, false chanterelle is white.
 
Chantrelles have false gills, I would need a better picture of the bottom/cross section to determine. Once you see the scraggly "gills" of a chant they are easy to distinguish.

I don't know what are typical species in florida either, I would recommend a localized mushroom Facebook group and some id books. The groups are really helpful.
 
Thanks guys. I'll go in the back this evening and see how my crop of whatever they are are doing. I was curious since I did have a bunch of them back there when I went to mow the other day.
 
When I was a tyke, we would hunt for mushrooms on Eastern Long Island. My dad taught us which ors were good. Over the years I dropped hunting for them, teenager I guess. Dad kept it up till he couldn't do it,
 
Dani,
I believe they are called "milkies." I have them here in my yard in SC also. Thought at first they were chanterelles but no.

Larry
 
Dani,

A friend of mine uses multiple Mushroom ID phone apps.

Seems sort if if anti-forager to me, but since we're already in an online forum :)
 
Back
Top