I’m no expert on the fabulous fungi that you can find on a woodland walk, so no advice here for foragers. Just the thought that occurred to me that while we often think of mushrooms as dull brown or grayish creatures, they are actually among the most colorful things we see in the woods.
Most of these images are from walks in the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge along the coast of Maine, but I’ve found similar almost anywhere I’ve walked in the woods.
Part of their fascination for me is that they embody growth and decay, all at the same time, and in the incredibly diverse forms they take.
These are not fungi, although many people think they are. Indian Pipe, or Ghost Plant, is actually a herbaceous perennial that is a parasite on certain types of fungi. In the right conditions, moisture after a dry spell, it can grow almost literally overnight.
Nice shots!Just to add to your comment on the Indian Pipe: as they are white, they clearly cannot photosynthesize – hence their dependence on the fungus.