DSC_6222 Coral fungus (Ramariopsis ramarioides) stalked, upright, almost antler-like fruit bodies with a cartilaginous feel to them. Pale cinnamon pink in colour, darker at the base. Saprobic fungi such as these break down dead vegetable matter in the soil, such as branches and logs. They are the only multi-celled organisms able to digest structural proteins such as cellulose and lignin, both major components of wood (these are tough organic molecules that nobody else wants to bother with). Waikaia Forest *
DSC_6521 Orange club coral (Ramariopsis laeticolor) a tiny club fungus which is easily overlooked. It is distinguished from similar tiny, yellowish club mushrooms by its dry surface, its tiny size (often only a few centimeters in height), and its tendency to grow alone or gregariously, rather than in tightly packed clusters. Boyle River *
11008-06201 Brown-blood helmet (Mycena mariae) so called because of the characteristic red-brown sap that bleeds from the broken stem. This delicate cinnamon-pink helmet's name is a lasting tribute to the botanist Marie Taylor (1930–1999) whose teaching and beautiful water colour paintings of mushrooms and toadstools contributed greatly to popularising our native fungi. Kaimai Range *
