Armillaria sp.

A honey fungus at Goodenia Rainforest Walk

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Identification history

Armillaria sp.	9 Jul 2019	Teresa
Armillaria hinnulea	4 Jul 2019	JohnC2
Entoloma sp.	1 Jul 2019	JohnC2

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6 comments

JohnC2 wrote:

4 Jul 2019

After further investigation I am suggesting Armillaria hinnulea. Forground image is mature specimen, background image is an immature specimen. ?
Armillaria hinnulea is a species of mushroom found only in Australia and New Zealand. It is a secondary pathogen (i.e., causing disease only after a primary pathogen has damaged the host) of wet native forests. It appears first as an immature mushroom with a rounded blackish rough cap and a thick white stalk. The stalk is covered with white fibres and is bulbous at the base. A fine cortina (cobweb-like partial veil) extends from the cap margins to the stipe.
Mature specimens of Armillaria hinnulea have flattened brown to olive-green caps with a dark granular material on the centres. Gills and stipes are a pale cream.

Pam wrote:

5 Jul 2019

You are correct with this identification...............Now look at the pileus surface and compare with your 'Pluteus' image.

JohnC2 wrote:

5 Jul 2019

Well Pam, you have just shot yourself in the foot. These images are of the same species that you say are not. They are growing all together, only taken separately to make a foreground and background subject in focus. I will now rest my case.

Pam wrote:

5 Jul 2019

If this is the case John your photograph of the 'Pluteus' misrepresents the true characters of the species. Do I ask John why you put such a variety of names up for what looks like two different species!!? If you are deliberately trying to trip me up it's a sad reflection on you. The 'goch ya' syndrome has no place in genuine 'citizen science'.

JohnC2 wrote:

5 Jul 2019

Without prejudice: Pam all my images are what is seen in nature, they are not 'photoshopped',and never have been. What was written and described 36 years ago as with many other species has been found that fungi, plants, animals etc change and vary according to location and conditions. I'm not trying to trip you up. At first I thought that they were two different species altogether, you too, you thought the other may have been a Cortinarius sp. In the field of fungi in particular there has been in real terms not much done since most 'known species were described, only since DNA etc have some things been changing. but still very very slowly, and especially in Australia. We are finding species in our area that were described decades ago that have never been found in our area(s),and being told that's impossible, and there have been differences to the originally described findings. I'm no mycologist, but being involved in 'nature' all my life I have learnt to never rely on just the written word. It is no longer gospel. Nature in all aspects is changing to accommodate its surroundings. We see it all the time as we spend a lot of time out in the field, more than most in ten lifetimes. One is always learning, and adapting to the changing landscape, just as the 'natural' world is doing.

Teresa wrote:

10 Jul 2019

After much research and consultation I am confirming this at the genus level until positive ID is returned from the mycologist.

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