Another Walk in the Park, Another Mushroom - October 25, 2023
Mickey and I took another walk to the park the other day. It's the only place he's comfortable walking, so that's where we go. He's on a short leash on the way, then I switch to a really long one to let him have his freedom and "sniff-sniffs." Then, I reel it up and he has to stay close after we leave the park.
We spotted a new sort of mushroom I'd never seen before. There was only one, and it was big. I think it's Hydnum imbricatum (Sarcodon imbricatus), the Shingled or Scaly Hedgehog.
Scaly Hedgehogs have overlapping coarse scales. Impricatum is Latin for tiled, or with overlapping tiles.
The photos online of the top look just the same. However, the Scaly Hedgehog had spore bearing "teeth" rather than gills, and I'm pretty sure these are gills.
I was able to get some nice photos because of the word "park." I didn't know what that meant when I saw it on the list of what Mickey knew at the shelter. Coincidentally, his original owners took him to the same trainers, and they told me what "park" is used for. It means that the dog can sit, or stand, or lay down, basically hang around while the person on the other end of the leash does something else. Like stops to talk to someone, answer a phone call, or spend time photographing mushrooms.
I also got a shot of this liquidambar with all the autumn colors in one small group at the bottom of the trunk.
It was starting to rain in earnest (drizzling when we started out, but I'd already told Mickey we were going) so we cut the walk short. It's that time of year. Rain and not just cool weather, but cold. We are expected to have the first frost later this week. I almost turned the heater on for the first time this season yesterday, but I cooked with the oven, so that heated my small house enough to put the heater off another day at least. My heating is electric, and it's in the ceiling. Good think the house is small, that's a really inefficient place for heating!
#scalyhedgehogmushroom #shingledhedgehogmushroom #hedgehogmushroom
Can't disappoint Mickey when you tell him you're going out. Do you have one of those radiant heater things? I prefer that to the forced air, which is what I'm used to.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a mushroom like that. And, just a coincidence - I am sitting in my backyard and looked in front of me. I saw a stand of mushrooms under my heuchera and maybe I'll post a picture this weekend. Maybe. I fear we stole your warm weather. After a spell of cold weather, we didn't have our frost at my house, and now it's 74 degrees. Next week, the cold weather returns with another chance of frost.
ReplyDeleteGood to know about "park." I haven't used it before, but it makes sense. We use the word "stay," which pretty much means the same thing. That mushroom is fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI have not seen mushroom like this one. Though I'm not a mushroom person for fear of it being poisonous.
ReplyDeleteThese mushrooms look interesting.
ReplyDelete