Mushrooms of Bowker Creek

These are flat-topped agaricus. They were growing in Monteith riparian ecosystem, underneath dogwood and blackberry, in a shaded, damp area. They have gills, which are free from the stalk and slightly pink. Their stalk is mostly white, with a thick base and a ring. Their cap is tan and has small, brown “scales” that radiate outward from the middle.

These are hare’s foot inkcaps. They are common garden mushrooms that have delicate caps with edges that turn upward with age. They have hollow, frail stalks so they usually last no longer then a day or two. Their gills are very thin and spaced out, with inky black spores. They can be found growing in soil, wood chips, or leaf litter.

These are common inkcaps. They are found all throughout parts of Europe and North America. Their caps are a tan brown, their stalk is white, and they have tightly spaced gills with an abundance of inky black spores. Pretty much all inkcaps have gills that liquefy with age. They like to grow on old logs and stumps.

Golden chanterelles are popular edible mushrooms. The main reason why they do not grow around Bowker Creek is because chanterelles like forested area, and moist undergrowth with lots of organic decaying matter. They also like to grow underneath salal. Bowker Creek doesn't meet these requirements.

Here is a small paper I wrote about coprinoid mushrooms, and how to identify different species you find around Victoria.

Deathcaps are one of the deadliest mushrooms in the world, and you can find them in Victoria. I have yet to see one at Bowker Creek but trust me, they are around. So if you do decide to go foraging, make sure you can identify mushrooms properly and always double check your finds. Linked here is a short video about deathcaps and a brief explanation on how to identify them.

A small paper I wrote about what fungi are, and different types of fungus.