Pardon Me, Your Slip Is Showing

Day 21: First let me say that I did not place that piece of lichen on the cap of this mushroom. This is exactly how I discovered it. Today along the Yelm-Tenino trail, the mushrooms were abundant and varied, but of all I saw, this specimen was the most beautiful. Based on what I observed in other examples, I believe it is a member of the Stropharia family, although the annulus is not readily apparent in this photo. Others exhibited a distinct "ring" beneath the cap. The gills were dusky lavender, and some specimens showed significant scales on the stipe. The "lace" is typical of Stropharias: "Pardon me, your slip is showing."

Taking the mushroom tour today brought back a lot of good memories. My late husband and I lived only a few miles from the future trail, although in those days, it was still an active railroad line. Our property had been his grandparents', and when we inherited it and started making preparations to move in, we often took walks on the acreage to familiarize ourselves with the unique ecology of western Washington prairie. On one particular occasion, we found a dozen or more perfect specimens of Amanita muscaria, the "Mario mushroom" with the red cap flecked with white spots. The species became our mascot for the family ranch, which we then named "Toadstool Acres," although it wasn't the only Amanita which occurred there, nor even the most prevalent. Each walk in the autumn woods turned up something new and generally suspect. Occasionally, we'd find something we knew was edible: boletas, shaggymanes, and one spring, a solitary morel which chose to grow at the very edge of our concrete stoop. Some years, the muscarias failed to appear; other times, they grew in profusion. We never determined what conditions they favoured.

In other mycological pursuits, Bruce proved himself to be a superb "truffle hound," rooting out the best and biggest before my mom or I had added a single 'shroom to our baskets. He had a nose for boletas which couldn't be matched, and frequently out-picked us two to one. Riding through Mushroom Country today, I had to wonder what he could have found for dinner while I was grubbing around on my knees taking pictures of "toadstools" you wouldn't want to eat. I bet he'd have come up with something.

Footnote: I am almost certain this is Stropharia ambigua, a mushroom common in Pacific Northwest conifer forests. It is reputed to be edible, but "tastes like old leaves" and therefore is not desirable.