A few of my finds from recent foraging expeditions … which yielded this bumper crop of black trumpets, chanterelles, and common puffballs. I’ve also found a great spot for pawpaws but didn’t take photos … I was too busy eating them for breakfast every morning.
Fairy Fingers (Clavaria fragilis)
Lots of coral fungi coming up recently, but this is the first time I’ve found fairy fingers …
Ghost Pipe – pink form (Monotropa uniflora)
I harvested some of the regular white monotropa during the summer to turn into a tincture that I use for pain relief, but this is the first time I’ve found the pink form.
American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius)
There’s some ginseng, but it’s all at least 5 or 6 years away from harvest. That’s why wild ginseng is endangered throughout Appalachia. Ginseng hunters have devastated the wild populations.
Black trumpets (Craterellus cornucopioides)
I’ve found these only once before, but this week they were at the base of almost every beech tree, giving me a newfound love of beech trees. Delicious mushrooms, vaguely truffle-like.
Eastern newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)
A friend spotted this little guy among the leaf litter. First newt I’ve found in my rambles, probably due to Althea’s romping about during our walks. This is the red eft (juvenile) stage.
Common puffballs (Lycoperdon perlatum)
I generally find these in the leaf litter or grass, but this fruiting is on a dead hickory (I think).
Crowded parchment (Stereum complicatum) ????
Not certain of this ID. It’s some sort of stereum … definitely a polypore.
Not sure what this is. Some sort of coral fungi? First time I’ve found it.
Think this might be ink caps.
