Observations by davidwhyte

Fruiting on rotten log under tawa trees. Large numbers, gelatinous cap. Would have said it was Mycena helminthobasis given the photo in Kerr's field guide (pg 40). However the inat obs for this species is clearly different.

Given how distinctive the is, surprised not a clear match to a species in inat.

Mycena sp. 'Ahuriri Reserve (PDD 80918)' seem a good match visually and also fruits on wood.

Found on nikau palm (Rhopalostylis sapida) frond, with tawa forest top story.

Reading Horak (2018) he states that C occoltus is found on nikau palm and supplejack (ripogonum scandens) but only two samples have ever been collected. Both from Thames coromandel and Kaimai saddle on the kaimai forest. Both of these are close geographically, being approx 100km away.

Also macro level this C. occoltus is same as C. isabellinus. But C isabelinus is found with beech in the south island.

So almost guaranteed to be C. occoltus.

When young the fruiting bodies looked like pluteus species at first.

The white stem has a small attachment bulb, that had 'fuzz' on it, and white stem. Then the cap surface had light, almost bright yellow tones with a pluteus like dark color overlay. When young was ~1cm diameter cap. So it looked similar to Pluteus leoninus photos.

However close examination revealed a cylindric cap, with white gills that appeared to be adnate, although given the small / young size it was ascending adnate.

The photoed fruitbody was the mature example, and was the only mature one, of the 1/2 dozen or so fruiting body. The gills when observed were tan coloured and clearly adnate. The cap color changed as photographed. The lighter color was against the log while darker color exposed to the environment.

Was fruiting on a larch log in an arboretum.

Three fruit bodies growing from mulch and not a log / wood. Which I thought was unusual.

Third frb had degraded before got a chance for photos. The gilles were a strong pink tone.

Would be on exotic wood. In a mine rehabilitation site with exotics planted (20+ yrs ago), which got hammered in cyclone gabrielle a year ago in Feb 2023. This looked like mulching from this event.

Fruiting in thick acacia duff, caused by tree dropping in cyclone gabrielle last year.

Strong color change with moisture. When dry white tones, when moistu brown-grey

When mature funnel shaped, when young dome shapes.

Top of the stem appeared to be pruinose bottom of stem was covered in white mycelium.

General environment: Ex open cast coal mine turned into park on edge of town. Patches of hardy trees were planted in blocks / groups. Common blocks are eucalyptus, pin oak, acacia and japanese cedar.

Less common / one off blocks of some oak with wider leaves than english oak. Unsure of species be clearly different growth compered to the pin oaks (slower growing). Also a small block of conifer (fir or something similar, not pinus)

Found on wide path (vehicle width, graveled) directly under macrocarpa. Cauliflower like, robust (compared to typical coral like fungi). White were the fruit body was in the duff/soil.

I didn't record what trees were directly opposite on the other side of the wide path. However leaf litter indicates eucalyptus is a strong contender.

I observed on this walk that pin oak mycorrhizal fungi was popped up on the opposite side of the path, in the grass with no other trees about. So clearly tree roots can easily get acros under the compacted gravel pathway.

Ramaria subaurantiaca seems to be the best match from the photos on inat. Which isn't yet proven to be in NZ.

Place into the drier (have permissions)?

General environment: Ex open cast coal mine turned into park on edge of town. Patches of hardy trees were planted in blocks / groups. Common blocks are eucalyptus, pin oak, acacia and japanese cedar.

Less common / one off blocks of some oak with wider leaves than english oak. Unsure of species be clearly different growth compered to the pin oaks (slower growing). Also a small block of conifer (fir or something similar, not pinus)

Single larger frb was close to the ground and russula like in stature. Wasn't until closer inspection realized it was amanita.

The others were found in the area, where small. Amanita nehuta / size of a coin.

I have grouped them all together as one, even though the cap color and warts are quite different. Happy to divide up if I am wrong. The reason for this was commonality between the following features.

Cap warts were in noticeably concentric rings
Cap warts were mostly flat (last frb photographed they are proud). But defn not pointy like Amanita australis
Bulb was amanita nehuta like. A bulb that was not large, and most had a line demarking the change from above ground to below ground.

Based upon all of the above, I think it is Amanita karea

Under manuka / kanuka in regrowth turning into forest.

Approx dozen that I could see in this location under manuka / kanuka. Range in color from the extremely vivid purple, which seemed to be color mature / older frb was.

General location - regrowth forest. Dominated by manuka / kanuka but this is starting to be replaced by the more mature forest trees.

Abundant in this location under manuka / kanuka. Range in color from the extremely vivid purple, which seemed to be color mature / older frb was. The younger were a more muted color purple. And some had a silver-grey-green on them.

General location - regrowth forest. Dominated by manuka / kanuka but this is starting to be replaced by the more mature forest trees.

I think this is the common blue stemmed and darker capped entoloma that I've seen here often. With my new entoloma understanding might get to micro work.

General location - regrowth forest. Dominated by manuka / kanuka but this is starting to be replaced by the more mature forest trees.

Exact same location as
https://inaturalist.nz/observations/203968602

Fresher/younger as well as old. So may attempt to look under the microscope.

General location - regrowth forest. Dominated by manuka / kanuka but this is starting to be replaced by the more mature forest trees.

Exact same location as:
https://inaturalist.nz/observations/203968600

The cap does feel greasy, but I have felt something similar in a non wax cap recently. Unsure of obs/genus it came from

General location - regrowth forest. Dominated by manuka / kanuka but this is starting to be replaced by the more mature forest trees.