Wild Mushroom Photos (For Curiosity)

 

There are thousands of mushroom (Macrofungi) species across the globe. It is said to have >4000 species of mushrooms in North America alone.

 

During many field trips, Jay has been curious in finding all kinds of brilliant species of mushrooms. In fact, Most of mushrooms are Basidiomycetes, a few are Ascomycetes.

 

Below there are the only 2 Ascomycetes. One is Morchella esculenta, a delicious fungus found in South America. The other Ascomycete is called Cordyceps, or Dong-cong-xia-chao (Winter-worm-summer-herb), as called in Chinese, are Ascomycetes invading worm pupas or caterpillars underground during spring and emerge as club fungi above the forest floor in summer.

 

The medicinal Basidiomycete Ganoderma tsugae is found in NC. A sister species called Ganoderma luciderm has been long regarded as  "Fairy Herb", a miracle medcine in the East.

 

Interestingly, the tree-dwelling Volvariella bombycina is actually found at the side of the reflection pond of Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC.