Fall Fun Guy - Updated

© Sept '12    photo by smck

© Sept '12    photo by smck

© Sept '12    photo by smck

I took these photos the other day - haven't quite identified the type of mushroom yet - will ride my bicycle over this morning and see if I can give a name to them.   they are growing over an old tree stump and spreading out across the surrounding area.

Well, I now am reasonably certain (disclaimer:  I am a rank amateur on mushrooms) that these are Jack O'Lanterns - i.e. Omphalotus olearius  - also called False Chanterelle.  The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Mushrooms description reads: "Orange to yellowish- orange mushroom with sharp-edged gills descending stalk; in clusters on wood or buried wood."  These guys were definitely growing in clusters on an old tree wood stump.  I picked one of the mushrooms and examined the underside gills and they match the gill description well.  I often gather Chanterelles in Cape Breton for scrumptious meals so I am familiar with that type of gill look.  (although to be sure that is the only similarity in look to the Jack O'Lantern).  Three different photographs in the field guide also corresponded quite well with what I show here.  And finally the size description fits perfectly - "Cap: 3 to 8 inches (7.5 - 20 cm)"


  ☹ It is rated as poisonous "typically causing gastric upset for a few hours to 2 days".  

Also "when this species is gathered fresh and taken into a dark room, the gills give off an eerie  glow".  

I plan on checking out the 'Eerie Glow'.   

Please note: - if you decide to pick wild mushrooms to eat and are not already well-versed in their identification you should always use a good field guide AND before eating spend some time doing a spore identification - this is one of the best, final descriptors of  various mushrooms.  No matter how delicious wild mushrooms may be, some  can also be deadly poisonous - and usually in a very horrible way.   Himself!