Monday, October 25, 2010

Wild Mushrooms of Ainsworth: Artist's Conk

ArtistsConk
(Click on image to enlarge)

These large shelf-like mushrooms were growing on a fallen tree in Deep River County Park. I'm not entirely sure of the identification: they don't quite look like the illustration of Artist's Conk in my mushroom guide, but then they don't look like anything else, either.

They do seem to have the salient characteristic of Artist's Conk, which is that their flesh bruises very easily, at the slightest touch. That's how they got their name — you can draw pictures on them, especially the light underside:

ArtistsConkunderside

And the pictures supposedly will stay visible even after the mushroom dries.

Go here to see a drawing on an Artist's Conk (you have to scroll down).

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