Look what I found whilst on my walk this morning; it's about 10cms out of the ground, and about 13 cms in diameter.
It's obviously a Puff-ball, but I'm not sure which one exactly. At first I'd presumed that it was a Giant Puff-ball Langermannia gigantea, but they are smooth skinned. So I think it must be Calvatia utriformus, a slightly shaggier, and smaller, version (both are edible when young).
In either case, what's it doing growing NOW? Both are late Summer/Autumn mushrooms, and especially this year after all our wretched rain (it's pouring), I'm very surprised to see it pop up like this (also in a spot where they've never grown before).
Anyway, here is a bit of fine bucolic wisdom (circa April 2012)......
If Spring be wet,
and Puffs be found.
Plant thy tats'
in April's ground.
The old sayings are certainly the best aren't they; even if they were written this morning!
That ground does look very soggy too wet for tats I would have thought!!!
ReplyDeletePure MUD, but this morning we have sunshine; at last!
ReplyDeleteLooks to me like Handkea utriformis, synonymous with Lycoperdon utriforme or Calvatia utriformis, is a species of the Lycoperdaceae family of puffballs. They may reach dimensions of up to 25 cm (9.8 in) broad by 20 cm (7.9 in) tall but becomes brown and powdery upon maturity.
ReplyDeleteIt is found in Europe, continental Asia, Japan, eastern atlantic North America, Mexico, and South Africa
But I could be wrong.
http://i866.photobucket.com/albums/ab221/1942Johnny/Handkea.jpg
Yes, I think we're in the right area, although with several days worth of very heavy rain it's not easy to identify exactly.
DeleteGolly more fungus to admire!
ReplyDeleteThere be fungus among us!
ReplyDeleteWhat a humungus fungus. When I saw the photo I thought it was a burger bun!
ReplyDeleteIt is quite astounding the different fungus's you find...you would not dare to eat any that you did not know for sure here...
ReplyDeletehow interesting. I read somewhere that they make good firelighters.
ReplyDeleteAll your mushies seem to sprout early down there.
ReplyDeleteFrance must be part soil part mushroom spore.
ReplyDeleteDon't eat it.
ReplyDeleteWith rain, you get mushrooms. This should make you happy.
ReplyDeleteFine looking specimen there Cro. Happy tattie planting!
ReplyDeleteDo you eat them? I have the fungi identification books. Around here we have a lot of fungus but not just now, more like October. I was all for identifying and eating my haul when my son and his wife were here for a visit. He is a doctor and was working on A&E where he had recently had a patient die from eating mushrooms he had picked so he would not play. Sort of put me off.
ReplyDeleteThese are edible. The thing is to identify just a few mushrooms that are 'unmistakeable'. Parasol mushrooms, Shaggy Ink Caps, and maybe Hedgehog mushrooms. Then when you get used to those move on to others. But before eating ANYTHING, always make sure you have an expert with you.
DeleteIt seems nothing is sprouting, blooming when it is supposed to these days. Our early Spring was hot, and everything bloomed early, and now it is cold again!!! This has been the weirdest for weather in our area, and it has not stopped yet. I wonder what summer will bring.
ReplyDeleteThe thing looks downright sinister!
ReplyDelete