Peabody Park Biological Survey

Fungi

This page is part of a biological survey of Peabody Park at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Nomenclature for the taxa below follows McKnight and McKnight, A Field Guide to Mushrooms: North America (Boston, 1987), with additional material from Phillips, Mushrooms of North American (Boston, 1991), and Pacioni, Simon and Schuster’s Guide to Mushrooms (New York, 1981). Initials of determiners and locations of grid sections are explained on the references page. Many fungi are difficult to identify, and the determinations recorded here should be treated with caution. There are many opportunities for advanced students to make substantial contributions to our knowledge of campus fungi.

XYLARIACEAE — Dead-man’s Fingers

Xylaria hypoxylon

Recorded in fall from section G10 N of Grogan Hall on decaying wood. (RJO, February 1998) [Images…]

MORCHELLACEAE — Morels

Morchella esculenta — Common Morel

Many individuals found in Park woods (sections F8, F9, E11) in April 1998, usually under Liriodendron. (RHL/RJO, April 1998)

PEZIZACEAE — Cup fungi

Peziza sp. — Brown Cup

Recorded in April along stream bank in Park section F8. (RJO/RHL, April 1998)

AURICULARIACEAE — Ear fungi

Auricularia auricula — Brown Ear Fungus, Tree-ear

Recorded in fall and winter from section C11 of Park fields on decaying wood. (RJO, February 1998) [Images…]

TREMELLACEAE — Jelly fungi

Tremella foliacea — Leaf Jelly

Recorded in fall from section F10 of Park woods near Gove Health Center on decaying wood. (RJO, October 1997) [Images…]

Tremella mesenterica — Witches’ Butter

Parasitic on Stereum spp.; recorded in fall from section G10 of Park woods N of Grogan Hall. (RJO, November 1997)

PUCCINIACEAE — Rust and smut fungi

Gymnosporangium juniperi-virginiana — Cedar-Apple Rust

A woody gall, typically seen on Juniperus, which sprouts gelatinous orange tentacles after rains; recorded from section E12 on hillside N of Phillips-Hawkins Hall growing on Pinus. (RJO, May 1997)

CLAVARIACEAE — Coral fungi

Clavulina rugosa? — Coral fungus

Recorded in fall from sections F9–F10 of Park woods along sidewalk between Gove Health Center and Reynolds Hall. (RJO, September 1997)

Clavicorona pyxidata — Crown Coral

Recorded in fall from section H10 of Park woods N of Cone Hall. (RJO, November 1997)

CORTICIACEAE — Woodcrusts

Merulius incarnatus — Coral Woodcrust

Small pink and white fungus of decaying wood; recorded from decaying wood in Park sections H10 and E11. (RJO, September 1997) [Images…]

SCHIZOPHYLLACEAE — Splitgills

Schyzophyllum commune — Splitgill

Recorded in fall and winter from sections C11 and G9 on decaying wood. (RJO, February 1998) [Images…]

STEREACEAE

Stereum ostrea — False Turkeytail

Very thin multicolored bracket with smooth underside; common in Park woods. (RJO, September 1997) [Images…]

Stereum complicatum

Similar to False Turkeytail, but generally smaller and orange-brown in color; common in Park woods. (RJO, November 1997) [Images…]

CANTHARELLACEAE — Chanterelles

Cantharellus cinnabarinus — Red Chantarelle

Recorded from Park sections E11 and F11 under hardwoods. October. (RJO, October 1999).

HYDNACEAE — Tooth fungi

Hericium erinaceus — Bearded Hedgehog, Old Man’s Beard

Recorded in late fall in section G10 of Park woods E of Gove Health Center. (RJO, September 1997) [Images…]

BOLETACEAE — Fleshy pore fungi

Boletinellus merulioides — Shallow-pore

Not yet recorded from Peabody Park, but found in section I4 of Foust Park along Spring Garden Street; usually associated with Fraxinus. (RJO/THT, October 1997)

Boletus sp. — Boletes

Several unidentified species recorded from the Park. (RJO, October 1999)

POLYPORACEAE — Pore fungi

Coriolus versicolor (=Trametes versicolor) — Turkeytail

Similar to False Turkeytail but bracket is thicker and porous underneath; common in Park woods. (RJO, October 1997)

Hirschioporus pergamenus — Rufescent Polypore

Similar to Turkeytail but with bract margins violaceous; recorded on dead wood in section G10 N of Grogan Hall. (RJO/RHL, September 1997) [Images…]

Ganoderma lucidum — Varnish Shelf, Ling Chi

A bracket-like fungus that grows from its own stalk; recorded in fall from section F8 of Park woods behind Ragsdale-Mendenhall Hall, and from section C11 on wooded slope in Park fields. (RJO, October 1999) [Images…]

Lenzites sepiaria (=Gloeophyllum sepiarium) — Rusty Pine Conk

Typically grows under pines; recorded in fall from section F11 of Park woods W of Phillips-Hawkins Hall. (RJO, September 1997) [Images…]

Lenzites betulina — Birch Mazegill

Common in Park on decaying wood in fall. (RJO, November 1997) [Images…]

Oligoporus caesius

Recorded from section F11 of Park woods in winter. (RHL/RJO, February 1998)

TRICHOLOMATACEAE — Tricholomas and allies

Hohenbuehlia petaloides — Leaf Oyster

Recorded from Park section E11 under hardwoods. October. (RJO/JGW, October 1999).

Phyllotopsis nidulans — Nestcap

Recorded commonly from Park woods in fall. (RJO, October 1997) [Images…]

HYGROPHORACEAE — Waxycaps

Hygrocybe coccinea — Scarlet Hood

Brilliant scarlet and yellow mushroom; recorded in summer and fall from section G9 along sidewalk at NW corner of Reynolds Hall. (RJO, September 1997) [Images…]

Hygrophorus flavescens — Waxycap sp.

Recorded from Park section F9 along sidewalk S of Gore Health Center. October. (RJO/JGW, October 1999)

AMANITACEAE — Deathcaps and allies

Amanita citrina — False Deathcap

A yellow Amanita with odor of raw potatoes, recorded from section E11 of Park on lawn adjacent to woods. (JGW/RJO, October 1999)

STROPHARIACEAE — Ringstalks, scalecaps, and smoothcaps

Naematoloma sp. — Stump mushroom

CORTINARIACEAE — Webcaps, flamecaps, and fibercaps

Cortinarius sp. — Webcap

RUSSULACEAE — Brittlegills and milkcaps

Russula xerampelina — Shellfish Brittlegill

Russula with distinct odor of shellfish; recorded from section H10 of Park woods on hillside W of McIver Street parking deck. (KMH/RJO, September 1997)

Russula fragilis — Fragile Brittlegill

Recorded from section E11 NW of Moore-Strong Hall and at other scattered locations in the Park woods. (RJO, September 1997)

PHALLACEAE — Stinkhorns

Mutinus caninus — Dog Stinkhorn

Recorded from Peabody Park section G10 under hardwoods, and also campus section H6 W of Eberhart Building under Cedrus. October. (RJO, October 1999)

LYCOPERDACEAE — Puffballs

Lycoperdon perlatum sp. — Gem Puffball

Common on Park lawns. Other species of puffballs have also been recorded from the Park but they have not been specifically identified. October. (RJO, October 1999)

SCLERODERMATACEAE — Earthballs

Scleroderma polyrhizum — Star Earthball

Recorded from section H10 of Park woods in fall. (RJO/MLH, November 1997)

GEASTRACEAE — Earthstars

Geastrum sp. — Earthstar

Recorded from section F11 on N side of Phillips-Hawkins Hall under Pinus; species not determined. (RJO, September 1997) [Images…]

PISOLITHACEAE — Pea Rocks

Pisolithus tinctorius — Dead Man’s Foot, Dyeball, Pea Rock

Recorded from section F11 along service road N of Phillips-Hawkins Hall in poor soil under Pinus. (RJO/MLH, October 1997) [Images…]