Fungi of the Wombat Forest and Macedon Ranges Agarics Agarics Agarics Agarics
The Fungi Kingdom comprises some of the most extraordinary and important organisms on earth. With their bizarre morphologies, complex life histories and ephemeral fruit-bodies, fungi have intrigued people across the planet and throughout history. The Wombat Forest and Macedon Ranges provide a diversity of habitats for fungal foraying including riparian forest, wet forest, damp forest, grassy woodland, montane grassy woodland, shrubby foothill forest, heathy dry forest, herb-rich foothill forest, valley grassy forest, sedgy riparian woodland as well as Fungi stands of various exotic tree species. Fungi The fungi illustrated in this guide were surveyed over the last decade and represent of the Wombat Forest just a selection of the species you may encounter. Hundreds, possibly thousands more fungal species are likely to occur in the region. and Macedon Ranges
Identifying Fungi Be aware that it is not usually possible to accurately identify fungi from images alone Agaricus xanthodermus Amanita punctata Clitocybe clitocyboides Coprinus comatus Cortinarius austrovenetus Cruentomycena visicidocruenta Hebeloma victoriense Hypholoma australe Lepista nuda Mycena albidofusca Mycena interrupta Wood Blewitt * of the Wombat Forest and Macedon Ranges Yellow Stainer * GILL M Funnel Cap Lawyer’s Wig * Green Skinhead * Ruby Mycena * GILL M GILL S Little Stinker White-Crowned Mycena Pixie’s Parasol * GILL S GILL S GILL S GILL M GILL S GILL S GILL S GILL S GILL S species require microscopic examination of structures or DNA sequencing for accurate The most accurate way to identify fungi to species level is with taxonomic keys, which
Fruit-body Forms The most familiar fungal fruit-bodies are likely to be the ‘Agarics’ - those fungi that typically have an umbrella-like form and gills beneath the cap, commonly referred to as mushrooms. However, fungi appear in a great variety of other fruit-body forms such as puffballs, clubs, discs, polypores and coral fungi. The species in this guide are arranged alphabetically within such generic groups.
Edible & Poisonous Fungi Amanita ananiceps group Amanita xanthocephala Coprinellus disseminatus Cortinarius archeri Cortinarius kula Entoloma moongum Hohenbuehelia sp. Hypholoma fasciculare Leucoagaricus ooliekirrus Marasmius alveolaris Mycena clarkeana Mycena nargan Foraging for edible fungi has become a popular pastime, but be aware that knowledge GILL M Vermilion Grisette * Fairy Bonnets Emperor Cortinar * GILL M Dark Pinkgill GILL S Sulphur Tuft GILL S GILL S Tufted Mycena Nargan’s Bonnet * about edibility of Australian fungi is scant and deadly poisonous species exist in GILL M GILL S GILL M GILL S GILL S GILL S GILL S Australia. Many cases of poisonings, including fatalities, are reported each year. In the event of a poisoning or suspected poisoning contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
Contacts Wombat Forestcare www.wombatforestcare.org.au Fungimap 9252 5374 www.fungimap.org.au Field Naturalists Club of Victoria 9877 9860 www.fncv.org.au Victorian Poisons Info Centre 13 11 26 www.austin.org.au/poisons Macedon Ranges Shire Council 5422 0333 www.mrsc.vic.gov.au Hepburn Shire Council 5348 2306 www.hepburn.vic.gov.au
Websites of Interest Australian National Botanic Gardens www.anbg.gov.au/fungi Atlas of Living Australia www.ala.org.au Amanita muscaria Armillaria luteobubalina Coprinopsis atramentaria Cortinarius austroalbidus Cortinarius rotundisporus Galerina hypnorum group Hygrocybe astatogala Lactarius eucalypti Leucoagaricus rubrotinctus Marasmius elegans Mycena cystidiosa Mycena subgalericulata group Interactive Catalogue of Aust. Fungi www.rbg.vic.gov.au/dbpages/cat/index.php/fungicatalogue Fly Agaric * Australian Honey Fungus * Inky Cap Australian White Webcap * Elegant Blue Webcap * Moss Galerina Waxgill Eucalypt Milk Cap GILL S Velvet Parachute * Tall Mycena GILL S The Australasian Mycological Society www.australasianmycology.com GILL M GILL P, S GILL S GILL M GILL M GILL S GILL S GILL M GILL S GILL S
Selected Field Guides that include Victorian Fungi (Available from Fungimap) Grey, P. & Grey, E. (2005). Fungi Down Under. Fungimap, Melbourne. McCann, I.R. (2003). Australian fungi illustrated. Macdown Productions, Vermont. Fuhrer, B. A. (2005). A Field Guide to Australian Fungi. Bloomings Books, Melbourne. Young A. M. (2005). A Field Guide to the Fungi of Australia. New South Wales University Press, Sydney.
Acknowledgements Research, photography, text & illustration: Alison Pouliot. Special thanks to the in species selection: Pat & Ed Grey, Tom May, Paul George, Virgil & Jurrie Hubregtse, Katie Syme, John Walter, Sapphire McMullan-Fisher & Genevieve Gates. Photographic Thanks to the Leigh Catchment Group for the use of their brochure template. Wombat Forestcare Cover image: The genus Mycena contains some of the tiniest and most delicate fungi. Community caring for Nature Amanita ochrophylla Austropaxillus infundibuliformis Coprinopsis nivea Cortinarius austrocinnabarinus Cortinarius sinapicolor Gymnopilus junonius Hygrocybe miniata group Lentinellus tasmanicus Macrolepiota clelandii Mycena albidocapillaris group Mycena epipterygia group Omphalotus nidiformis They are characterised by white spores and often have a translucent, striate cap. GILL M Funnel Pax Snowy Ink Cap GILL M Slimy Yellow Cortinar * Spectacular Rustgill * Waxgill GILL S Parasol Mushroom GILL S Yellow-Stemmed Mycena Ghost Fungus * GILL S, M GILL S GILL M GILL S GILL S GILL S GILL S GILL S, P © Wombat Forestcare Inc. Agarics Boletes/Leathers/Jellies Corals/Polypores/Tooth Fungi Puffballs/Earthstars/Clubs/Pins/Chantarelles
Fungal Trophic Modes Fungi can be divided into three groups based on how they obtain their nutrition:
1. Most fungi are saprotrophic (saprobic) and decompose dead organic matter. They can break down lignin, cellulose and chitin and grow on rotting logs, leaf litter and other organic material.
2. Some fungi are parasitic and obtain nutrition from a living host organism, while some specialised groups parasitise invertebrates and other animals.
3. Mycorrhizal fungi form symbiotic relationships with living organisms Pholiota sp. Rhodocollybia butyracea Russula persanguinea Austroboletus lacunosus Podoscypha petalodes Tremella frondosa Artomyces austropiperatus Fistulina hepatica Trametes versicolor Scleroderma sp. Geastrum triplex Leotia lubrica Aleuria aurantia Bisporella citrina Lichenomphalia chromacea GILL S Buttery Collybia GILL M PORE M Rosette Fungus Witch’s Butter Peppery Coral Fungus Beefsteak Fungus * Rainbow Fungus Earthball Collared Earthstar Jelly Baby * Orange Peel Fungus DISC S Yellow Navel * relationships with the rootlets of plants. GILL S LEATHER S JELLY S CORAL S PORE S, P BRACKET S PUFFBALL M EARTHSTAR S PIN S CUP S LICHEN Y Another symbiosis is that of lichens which is a relationship between a mycobiont (fungus) and a photobiont (an alga or cyanobacterium).