Leighton Photography & Imaging

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  • This member of the Amanita mushroom family was found growing in the Fakahatchee Strand of Southwest Florida's Western Everglades. This emerging American Caesar's mushroom is a rare exception to a family of lethally poisonous mushrooms that are responsible for 90% of mushroom-related deaths around the world. This one is known to be be both edible and tasty.
    American Caesar's Mushroom
  • This member of the Amanita mushroom family was found growing in the Fakahatchee Strand of Southwest Florida's Western Everglades. This emerging American Caesar's mushroom is a rare exception to a family of lethally poisonous mushrooms that are responsible for 90% of mushroom-related deaths around the world. This one is known to be be both edible and tasty.
    American Caesar's Mushroom
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • A freshly emerging fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) just popping out of the forest floor along Bellevue, Washington's Coal Creek on an early fall afternoon. In a couple of days, its distinctive bright red cap will be highly visible against the bright greens and dark browns of this part of the forest. This highly toxic mushroom can make anyone ingesting it extremely sick (and possibly fatally). This psychoactive fungus has had such an impact on most major cultures in the history of humans that it is mentioned in just about every culture's folklore and religious texts where it is found in the northern hemisphere.
    Emerging Fly Agaric Mushroom
  • Surprising in the Easter-egg lilac/blue/purple color of this mushroom alone, these stood out in sharp contrast to the forest greens and rich browns on the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in Washington's Cascades Mountains on a cold and wet November morning alongside the Greenwater River. Upon closer inspection, the sudden intense odor of rotting fruit, wet dog, and those orange circus peanut candies came to mind. The underside of these mushroom was cinnamon brown, and so was the spore print I made from one of them.
    Gassy Webcap Mushroom (Cortinarius t..nus)
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) in a wet forested area near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushroom
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) in a wet forested area near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushroom
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) in a wet forested area near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushroom
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) in a wet forested area near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushroom
  • This very interesting polypore mushroom (also known as a shelf or bracket mushroom) is native to Asia but has recently been found growing in the wild in Florida and Texas in wetland habitats, where they can get quite large. This one growing in the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers, Florida was almost twelve inches across!
    Trametes lactinea-3
  • This very interesting polypore mushroom (also known as a shelf or bracket mushroom) is native to Asia but has recently been found growing in the wild in Florida and Texas in wetland habitats, where they can get quite large. These were found growing in the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers, Florida.
    Trametes lactinea-2
  • This very interesting polypore mushroom (also known as a shelf or bracket mushroom) is native to Asia but has recently been found growing in the wild in Florida and Texas in wetland habitats, where they can get quite large. These were found growing in the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers, Florida.
    Trametes lactinea-6
  • This very interesting polypore mushroom (also known as a shelf or bracket mushroom) is native to Asia but has recently been found growing in the wild in Florida and Texas in wetland habitats, where they can get quite large. This one growing in the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers, Florida was almost twelve inches across!
    Trametes lactinea-4
  • This very interesting polypore mushroom (also known as a shelf or bracket mushroom) is native to Asia but has recently been found growing in the wild in Florida and Texas in wetland habitats, where they can get quite large. These were found growing in the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers, Florida.
    Trametes lactinea-5
  • This very interesting polypore mushroom (also known as a shelf or bracket mushroom) is native to Asia but has recently been found growing in the wild in Florida and Texas in wetland habitats, where they can get quite large. These were found growing in the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve in Fort Myers, Florida.
    Trametes lactinea-1
  • Finding this crown-tipped coral fungus in Pensacola, Florida was a very cool find for me as a Florida Native as I was living in the Pacific Northwest at the time and had never seen this type of mushroom east of the Rocky Mountains. This particular species is reported as edible, but as always extreme caution should be used when ingesting any wild mushroom without being absolutely certain what it is you are putting in your mouth. That said, this mushroom is fairly easily found throughout most of North America, excluding the West Coast, and is also common throughout Europe.
    Crown-tipped Coral Fungus
  • This commonly-encountered, weird cup-shaped mushroom is a type of cup-fungus. Like whenever looking at mushrooms - what you are actually seeing is the above-ground fruiting bodies of the year-round fibrous strands that are actually the real mushroom. These were found growing near the summit of Little Mount Si in North Bend, Washington, and are edible, but may have little to no taste.
    Orange-Peel Fungus
  • Looking very much like it's cousin, the infamous fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria), the peach-colored fly agaric (Amanita persicina) looks virtually the same, except for instead of the vibrant red color with scaly cap it has a somewhat softer, light orange, or peach hue. Found only in the Southeastern United States stretching up to coastal New England, this forest fungus develops these beautiful large mushrooms in the fall and winter. This fully developed mushroom was spotted on a November morning in Pensacola, Florida on the side of a nature trail.
    Peach-colored Fly Agaric
  • Finding this crown-tipped coral fungus in Pensacola, Florida was a very cool find for me as a Florida Native as I was living in the Pacific Northwest at the time and had never seen this type of mushroom east of the Rocky Mountains. This particular species is reported as edible, but as always extreme caution should be used when ingesting any wild mushroom without being absolutely certain what it is you are putting in your mouth. That said, this mushroom is fairly easily found throughout most of North America, excluding the West Coast, and is also common throughout Europe.
    Crown-tipped Coral Fungus
  • With many common names including the shrimp russula, shrimp mushroom, and shellfish-scented russula, this excellent-tasting and beautifully purple to burgundy russula mushroom smells very strongly like shrimp, even more so as it matures in its native forest habitat in the cooler months of the year. This one was found not by sight, but by the distinct shellfish aroma coming from the other side of a fallen tree in the mountains above Enumclaw, Washington on a cold and rainy late-October afternoon.
    Shrimp Russula
  • The artist's fungus is a common species of very large polypore mushroom found on every continent except Antarctica. It gets its name from a very interesting style of art where the  mushroom is picked and the white pores of the fruiting body are scratched away to reveal the brown woody inside, creating a sort of natural canvas. This is where the artist can scrape away just enough to create scenes, images of people or nature, or anything else he or she can imagine. A simple search on the web can give you plenty of examples of artwork created with these mushrooms. These were photographed close to the edge of Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington on an early autumn afternoon.
    Artist's Conk
  • This commonly-encountered, weird cup-shaped mushroom is a type of cup-fungus. Like whenever looking at mushrooms - what you are actually seeing is the above-ground fruiting bodies of the year-round fibrous strands that are actually the real mushroom. These were found growing near the summit of Little Mount Si in North Bend, Washington, and are edible, but may have little to no taste.
    Orange-Peel Fungus
  • This commonly-encountered, weird cup-shaped mushroom is a type of cup-fungus. Like whenever looking at mushrooms - what you are actually seeing is the above-ground fruiting bodies of the year-round fibrous strands that are actually the real mushroom. These were found growing near the summit of Little Mount Si in North Bend, Washington, and are edible, but may have little to no taste.
    Orange-Peel Fungus
  • The artist's fungus is a common species of very large polypore mushroom found on every continent except Antarctica. It gets its name from a very interesting style of art where the  mushroom is picked and the white pores of the fruiting body are scratched away to reveal the brown woody inside, creating a sort of natural canvas. This is where the artist can scrape away just enough to create scenes, images of people or nature, or anything else he or she can imagine. A simple search on the web can give you plenty of examples of artwork created with these mushrooms. These were photographed close to the edge of Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington on an early autumn afternoon.
    Artist's Conk
  • Talk about species specificity in fungi, Strobilurus conigenoides mushrooms grow only on decaying magnolia cones! These tiny little collybioid mushrooms were found on an old, decaying magnolia cone in Goethe State Forest in rural Levy County, Florida.
    Magnolia Cone Mushrooms
  • The artist's fungus is a common species of very large polypore mushroom found on every continent except Antarctica. It gets its name from a very interesting style of art where the  mushroom is picked and the white pores of the fruiting body are scratched away to reveal the dark brown woody inside, creating a sort of natural canvas. This is where the artist can scrape away just enough to create scenes, images of people or nature, or anything else he or she can imagine. A simple search on the web can give you plenty of examples of artwork created with these mushrooms. These were photographed on the side of a tree just outside of La Push, Washington near Rialto Beach.
    Artist's Conk
  • A red belt conk (a type of shelf polypore mushroom) grows at the base of a dead tree in Montana's Glacier National Park on a wet summer morning. These very common mushrooms in forests can be found around the northern hemisphere mostly on dead conifers, and very occasionally deciduous or even sometimes on live trees. These mushrooms do play a vital role in breaking down old wood and helping recycle those nutrients for the forest to reuse.
    Red Belt Conk
  • This gorgeous polypore mushroom was found growing in a very remote wetland location in northern Collier County, Florida on a pond apple tree in standing water. The key for identification for Ganoderma curtisii is the usual, long purple stalk on which it is attached to the tree. This mushroom is inedible, although some claim it has some medicinal use.
    Ganoderma curtisii
  • Looking very much like it's cousin, the infamous fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria), the peach-colored fly agaric (Amanita persicina) looks virtually the same, except for instead of the vibrant red color with scaly cap it has a somewhat softer, light orange, or peach hue. Found only in the Southeastern United States stretching up to coastal New England, this forest fungus develops these beautiful large mushrooms in the fall and winter. This one was in the process of emerging from the soil on a November morning in Pensacola, Florida on the side of a nature trail.
    Peach-colored Fly Agaric
  • The yellowfoot dapperling mushroom is a pretty little mushroom found in coniferous and broadleaf forests around the world, but most commonly encountered in the Pacific Northwest and Europe. It has a somewhat shaggy appearance even when emerging from the forest floor with a very distinctive dark brown center on its scaly cap. Be wary with this one when foraging as the edibility of this species isn't clear, but it is related to some species that are quite toxic to humans when eaten. This one was found with many others in the forested mountains above Enumclaw, Washington on a very wet, cold October afternoon.
    Yellowfoot Dapperling - 2
  • Honey mushrooms (Armillaria sp.) growing near the summit of the heavily forested Little Mt. Si in North Bend, Washington, showing three distinctive phases of cap growth. As with many mushrooms, exact species are hard to distinguish and the taxonomy keeps changing, but luckily all of these honey mushrooms are edible and quite a commonly-collected type prized by forest foragers. It is advised that these be thoroughly cooked as these mushrooms are said to have variable levels of toxicity when eaten raw.
    Honey Mushrooms (Armillaria sp.)
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-7.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-3.jpg
  • A mature orange form of perhaps the world's most famous mushroom - the fly agaric -  growing halfway up the north face of Mount Rainier on one of the last days of summer. Normally bright red, this highly toxic mushroom can make anyone ingesting it extremely sick (and possibly fatally). This psychoactive fungus has had such an impact on most major cultures in the history of humans that it is mentioned in just about every culture's folklore and religious texts where it is found in the northern hemisphere.
    Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria)
  • The turkey-tail mushroom is a very common shelf mushroom found all over the world on dead wood in many different kinds of habitats all across North America. This one was found early in the morning in the Ocala National Forest in Central Florida and was the most stunning and beautiful example I've ever seen.
    Turkey-Tail
  • Looking very much like it's cousin, the infamous fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria), the peach-colored fly agaric (Amanita persicina) looks virtually the same, except for instead of the vibrant red color with scaly cap it has a somewhat softer, light orange, or peach hue. Found only in the Southeastern United States stretching up to coastal New England, this forest fungus develops these beautiful large mushrooms in the fall and winter. This one was in the process of emerging from the soil on a November morning in Pensacola, Florida on the side of a nature trail.
    Peach-colored Fly Agaric
  • Somewhat common in its natural range, the willow bracket mushroom<br />
(Phellinus igniarius) is your typical hoof-shaped polypore  that is found not only on dead and decaying willows, but also aspens and birch trees, such as this one in Western Washington State on the side of a nature trail in Kent.
    Willow Bracket (Phellinus igniarius)
  • Somewhat common in its natural range, the willow bracket mushroom<br />
(Phellinus igniarius) is your typical hoof-shaped polypore  that is found not only on dead and decaying willows, but also aspens and birch trees, such as this one in Western Washington State on the side of a nature trail in Kent.
    Willow Bracket (Phellinus igniarius)
  • The yellowfoot dapperling mushroom is a pretty little mushroom found in coniferous and broadleaf forests around the world, but most commonly encountered in the Pacific Northwest and Europe. It has a somewhat shaggy appearance even when emerging from the forest floor with a very distinctive dark brown center on its scaly cap. Be wary with this one when foraging as the edibility of this species isn't clear, but it is related to some species that are quite toxic to humans when eaten. This one was found with many others in the forested mountains above Enumclaw, Washington on a very wet, cold October afternoon.
    Yellowfoot Dapperling - 1
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-10.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-9.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-8.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-6.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-5.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-4.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-2.jpg
  • This very attractive, sometimes very orange, other-times very golden, slimy, spiky yet claimed-to-be-edible mushroom starts off as a small "spiky" ball growing on either deciduous or coniferous trees, then quickly matures into this form very common mushroom that is often found Western North America, Northern Europe. Japan and New Zealand. This one was found in great profusion during the October rains growing on the trunks of the hardwoods in Bellevue, Washington's Mercer Slough.
    Golden Scalycap-1.jpg
  • This "slimy-capped" mushroom is a very common late fall mushroom found along the Pacific coast from Northern California to Southern British Columbia. This one was photographed near Lake Ozette in Washington's Olympic National Forest.
    Cortinarius vanduzerensis
  • This perfect specimen of a turkey-tail mushroom stands out beautifully against the wet green moss on a cold and damp Pacific Northwest winter day next to Soos Creek in Kent, Washington.
    Turkey-Tail (Trametes versicolor)
  • One of the world's most common mushrooms, the turkey tail mushroom is also one of the most beautiful. Typically found on rotting stumps, branches and decaying wood, these polypore mushrooms can be found in quite an amazing array of colors and hues. It has a long history of use by people, such as making blue and green dyes for clothing, being used to make a tasty tea and for a variety of medicinal uses. Recent clinical research shows that it may be useful for a variety of cancer treatments. This vibrant green colony was found growing alongside Mercer Slough in Bellevue, Washington.
    Turkey Tail
  • This rather small plain brown amanita mushroom, but if you stop and look at it, it has the spots very similar to it's famous relative, the Amanita muscaria. This one was found in a heavily forested area above the Carbon River near Mount Rainier in Washington State.
    Candlestick Amanita (Amanita calyptr..des)
  • This emerging Leucocoprinus birnbaumii (more commonly known as the plantpot dapperling or flowerpot parasol) is an tropical to subtropical common mushroom that is more widely known for popping up in cultivated flowerpots in hothouses far north of its natural range. While considered to be toxic and nearly impossible to get rid of, it's best to just learn to enjoy their delicate beauty and try not to accidentally eat them. This one was found growing on some old wood in a hardwood hammock on Key Largo, Florida.
    Plantpot Dapperling (Leucocoprinus b..mii)
  • I found these cool little jelly mushrooms yesterday while looking for bigger Pacific Northwest fungus species to photograph. This unique and very interesting toothed jelly mushroom is found throughout the world and grows mostly on decaying coniferous wood. Although it is considered edible, it is reported to have almost no taste, and is often "candied" with sugar and sometimes other ingredients. This one was found in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near the Greenwater River, in the Cascade Mountains in Pierce County, Washington.
    Cat's Tongue
  • One of the world's most common mushrooms, the turkey tail mushroom is also one of the most beautiful. Typically found on rotting stumps, branches and decaying wood, these polypore mushrooms can be found in quite an amazing array of colors and hues. It has a long history of use by people, such as making blue and green dyes for clothing, being used to make a tasty tea and for a variety of medicinal uses. Recent clinical research shows that it may be useful for a variety of cancer treatments. This vibrant green colony was found growing alongside Mercer Slough in Bellevue, Washington.
    Turkey Tail
  • One of the world's most common mushrooms, the turkey tail mushroom is also one of the most beautiful. Typically found on rotting stumps, branches and decaying wood, these polypore mushrooms can be found in quite an amazing array of colors and hues. It has a long history of use by people, such as making blue and green dyes for clothing, being used to make a tasty tea and for a variety of medicinal uses. Recent clinical research shows that it may be useful for a variety of cancer treatments. This vibrant green colony was found growing alongside Mercer Slough in Bellevue, Washington.
    Turkey Tail
  • One of the world's most common mushrooms, the turkey tail mushroom is also one of the most beautiful. Typically found on rotting stumps, branches and decaying wood, these polypore mushrooms can be found in quite an amazing array of colors and hues. It has a long history of use by people, such as making blue and green dyes for clothing, being used to make a tasty tea and for a variety of medicinal uses. Recent clinical research shows that it may be useful for a variety of cancer treatments. This vibrant green colony was found growing alongside Mercer Slough in Bellevue, Washington.
    Turkey Tail
  • One of the world's most common mushrooms, the turkey tail mushroom is also one of the most beautiful. Typically found on rotting stumps, branches and decaying wood, these polypore mushrooms can be found in quite an amazing array of colors and hues. It has a long history of use by people, such as making blue and green dyes for clothing, being used to make a tasty tea and for a variety of medicinal uses. Recent clinical research shows that it may be useful for a variety of cancer treatments. This vibrant green colony was found growing alongside Mercer Slough in Bellevue, Washington.
    Turkey Tail
  • A fresh, new western shelf mushroom growing on a moss-covered stump in an virgin forest area in the Hoh Rain Forest. Sometimes known as chicken-of-the-woods, this mushroom is edible and eaten by many.
    Western Sulphur Shelf
  • Mushrooms can be truly strange and weird-looking, but when it comes to the group known as elfin saddles, strange takes on a whole new meaning. Found across much of Northern Europe and parts of North America, this completely irregular white elfin saddle mushroom was one of many found in the heavily wooded Cascade Mountains in Washington State just southeast of Enumclaw on a chilly, rainy, November afternoon at mid-elevation.
    White Elfin Saddle (Helvella crispa)
  • This unique and very interesting toothed jelly mushroom is found throughout the world and grows mostly on decaying coniferous wood. Although it is considered edible, it is reported to have almost no taste, and is often "candied" with sugar and sometimes other ingredients. This one was found in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near the Greenwater River, in the Cascade Mountains in Pierce County, Washington.
    Cat's Tongue
  • Sometimes called the red-tinged lepiota, this attractive little mushroom is one of the first of the fall mushrooms found in the wet forests of the Pacific Northwest. This pair was found growing partially under a log near Coal Creek in Bellevue, Washington.
    Leucoagaricus rubrotinctoides
  • Mushrooms can be truly strange and weird-looking, but when it comes to the group known as elfin saddles, strange takes on a whole new meaning. Found across much of Northern Europe and parts of North America, this completely irregular white elfin saddle mushroom was one of many found in the heavily wooded Cascade Mountains in Washington State just southeast of Enumclaw on a chilly, rainy, November afternoon at mid-elevation.
    White Elfin Saddle (Helvella crispa)
  • Mushrooms can be truly strange and weird-looking, but when it comes to the group known as elfin saddles, strange takes on a whole new meaning. Found across much of Northern Europe and parts of North America, this completely irregular white elfin saddle mushroom was one of many found in the heavily wooded Cascade Mountains in Washington State just southeast of Enumclaw on a chilly, rainy, November afternoon at mid-elevation.
    White Elfin Saddle (Helvella crispa)
  • This unique and very interesting toothed jelly mushroom is found throughout the world and grows mostly on decaying coniferous wood. Although it is considered edible, it is reported to have almost no taste, and is often "candied" with sugar and sometimes other ingredients. This one was found in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest near the Greenwater River, in the Cascade Mountains in Pierce County, Washington.
    Cat's Tongue
  • Usually a pale to semi-bright yellow, this small forest-loving mushroom is sometimes a grey-brown to a dark brown when it is found in conifer forests. These pale brown Mycena citrinomarginata mushrooms (no common name) were found growing in a clump about halfway up Washington's Rattlesnake Mountain on a damp and almost sunny Valentine's Day.
    Mycena citrinomarginata
  • Usually a pale to semi-bright yellow, this small forest-loving mushroom is sometimes a grey-brown to a dark brown when it is found in conifer forests. These pale brown Mycena citrinomarginata mushrooms (no common name) were found growing in a clump about halfway up Washington's Rattlesnake Mountain on a damp and almost sunny Valentine's Day.
    Mycena citrinomarginata
  • This beautiful and delicate member of the oyster mushroom family is found throughout much of North America, most often found growing on rotting logs and stumps of hemlock trees and other conifers, such as this one growing in the Olympic National Park in the Hoh Rain Forest. Although sometimes expressed as edible, caution is advised because of a string of recent deaths as a result of angel wings mushrooms.
    Angel Wings
  • These "slimy-capped" mushrooms are a very common late fall mushroom found along the Pacific coast from Northern California to Southern British Columbia. This group was photographed among the trees on Washington's Cape Flattery.
    Cortinarius vanduzerensis
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found near the base of a huge waterfall in Oregon's Marion County, just east of Salem are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually an unusual type of mushroom, rather than a type of lichen. These still have their spores (they look like eggs in a nest) but will expel them with raindrops during a rainstorm, spreading their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found near the base of a huge waterfall in Oregon's Marion County, just east of Salem are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually an unusual type of mushroom, rather than a type of lichen. These still have their spores (they look like eggs in a nest) but will expel them with raindrops during a rainstorm, spreading their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • With a name that can't help but invite a second glance, the dog vomit slime mold (also known as the scrambled egg slime) is a common plasmodial slime mold found all over the world on both rotting wood and the leaves and stems of living plants. Slime molds are a bit different from other fungi because they begin their life as a protoplasm as opposed to the more common thread-like structure that begin underground and appear as a fruiting body - what we commonly know as a mushroom. In Scandinavian folklore, the particular species is often associated with witchcraft, and is said to be the vomit of a witch's familiar after one has slurped up and spoiled their neighbors' milk. This one was found growing on a decaying, fallen tree in Washington's Hoh Rainforest in the Western Olympic Mountains.
    Dog Vomit Slime Mold
  • This beautiful and delicate member of the oyster mushroom family is found throughout much of North America, most often found growing on rotting logs and stumps of hemlock trees and other conifers, such as this one growing in the Olympic National Park in the Hoh Rain Forest.
    Angel Wings
  • This common mushroom is usually found growing with or among lichens on rotting logs, decaying wood, or in organically-rich soil. While regularly seen across most of the northern hemisphere, it is found most frequently closer to the Arctic. This one was found on Rattlesnake Mountain in Washington's Cascade Mountains.
    Lichen Agaric
  • This beautiful and inconspicuous small brown mushroom was found in a very wet morning on Mount Rainier.
    Inocybe mixtilis
  • This small brown mushroom found growing mid-summer in the subalpine regions of Stevens Pass in the Cascade Mountains has been listed as very dangerous if not fatal.
    Deadly Cort
  • This tiny, incredibly small bright yellow mushroom is common in Western Europe, but can be found in North America in cold, wet, montane environments. This one found on top of a moss-covered log next to the Greenwater River in Washington's Cascade Mountains among the patches of snow. It is purported that this species can even exhibit some bioluminescent properties in the dark!
    Yellowleg Bonnet (Mycena epipterygia)
  • A perfect specimen of the "old man of the woods" bolete mushroom (Strobilomyces strobilaceus) growing in Goethe State Forest in Central Florida. While edible, many say this native fungus to Europe and North America is delicious, while others say it tastes too much like the forest floor.
    Old Man of the Woods
  • I once heard a joke about this mushroom: "A very bad song by Madonna is improved immeasurably if you walk through the woods singing:'Lycoperdon, puffed for the very first time . . .'" I found this beauty growing in the forest just outside of Buckley, Washington.
    Common Puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum)
  • These fascinating bird's nest fungi found near the base of a huge waterfall in Oregon's Marion County, just east of Salem are one of the many natural curiosities found in the Pacific Northwest. While it may not look like it, these are actually an unusual type of mushroom, rather than a type of lichen. These still have their spores (they look like eggs in a nest) but will expel them with raindrops during a rainstorm, spreading their DNA on the forest floor for the next generation to spread and prosper.
    Bird's Nest Fungi
  • This great little oddball of the mushroom world looks just like a birds nest filled with eggs, even though it is only about half an inch wide. It is often found in groups on old berry canes, rotten wood, or rich soil, mostly in the Pacific Northwest, north to Alaska. This one was found past-season (November 2015) in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest in mid-November near the Greenwater River in Washington's Cascade Mountains. In this photo you can see one "egg" (or peridiole) left in the nest - these spore-ladden reproductive structures are ejected by raindrops hitting the cup.
    Bird's Nest Fungus
  • Still wet from a recent rain, this common shelf mushroom grows on the side of a western hemlock tree in the damp foothills of Washington's Cascade Mountains, beautifully side-lit by the late afternoon/early evening golden light. Although inedible, it is a very important part of forest health, as it breaks down and feeds on old or dead trees, making these nutrients available after its own demise for future generations of trees and other forest plants.
    Red-Belted Polypore
  • The small, vivid fading scarlet waxy cap is a very beautiful and common mushroom found worldwide in forests, on rotting logs, lawns, and grasslands.
    Fading Scarlet Waxy Cap
  • When this mushroom is just emerging, it appears to be encased in a slimy encasement. Cortinarius vanduzerensis is found along the Pacific Northwest's coastal coniferous forests in the late fall.
    Cortinarius vanduzerensis
  • A very common polypore mushroom found all over North America, I've found these beautiful fungi from the hot sandy pine scrubs of Central Florida to the wet forests of the Pacific Northwest. This one was photographed near the Florida-Georgia border in Chattahoochee, Florida.
    Turkey-Tail
  • The beautiful and possibly ominous scarlet waxy cap mushroom unexpectedly found while hunting orchids in Florida's Fakahatchee Strand in the Western Everglades.
    Scarlet Waxy Cap
  • The Red-belted polypore (or conk) mushroom is very striking member of the Aphyllophorales family. Most often found on black cherry trees, it can also be found growing on conifers. This one was photographed on West Tiger Mountain, in Western Washington.
    Red-Belted Polypore
  • The strange and wonderful orange jelly mushroom grows on conifers and is found throughout North America in the spring and summer. For the brave - it is also edible, although it is recommended (not by me) to be boiled or steamed rather than applied to direct heat.
    Orange Jelly
  • This common mushroom is usually found growing with or among lichens on rotting logs, decaying wood, or in organically-rich soil. While regularly seen across most of the northern hemisphere, it is found most frequently closer to the Arctic. This one was found on West Tiger Mountain in Washington State.
    Lichen Agaric
  • This fuzzy foot mushroom was found on one of the many fallen/rotting logs that are found near the Lake Jackson Indian Mounds in Tallahassee, Florida just north of Interstate 10. I had a difficult time finding the correct identification for this one (at least I think I did – 98% sure).
    Fuzzy-Foot
  • This puffball mushroom is very common and I see them all over the Southeast. This is just an example of  the beauty that Ive been walking past so frequently while looking for the big picture. Sometimes the beauty really is in the details!
    Pear-Shaped Puffball
  • Leopard slugs are an introduced species native to Southern Europe and have made their way around the world due to commercial shipping combined with their ability to thrive in multiple types of habitat. With a scientific name (Limax maximus) that literally means "biggest slug", it is one of the longest slugs (but not the biggest) and can live up to three years and reach a length of 6 to 8 inches. This one was found on a type of polypore mushroom called a red belt conk in deep in a forest Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Leopard Slug
  • Leopard slugs are an introduced species native to Southern Europe and have made their way around the world due to commercial shipping combined with their ability to thrive in multiple types of habitat. With a scientific name (Limax maximus) that literally means "biggest slug", it is one of the longest slugs (but not the biggest) and can live up to three years and reach a length of 6 to 8 inches. This one was found on a type of polypore mushroom called a red belt conk in deep in a forest Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Leopard Slug
  • This fuzzy foot mushroom was found on one of the many fallen/rotting logs that are found near the Lake Jackson Indian Mounds in Tallahassee, Florida just north of Interstate 10. I had a difficult time finding the correct identification for this one (at least I think I did - 98% sure).
    Fuzzy Foot (Xeromphalina campanella)
  • Leopard slugs are an introduced species native to Southern Europe and have made their way around the world due to commercial shipping combined with their ability to thrive in multiple types of habitat. With a scientific name (Limax maximus) that literally means "biggest slug", it is one of the longest slugs (but not the biggest) and can live up to three years and reach a length of 6 to 8 inches. This one was found on a type of polypore mushroom called a red belt conk in deep in a forest Montana's Glacier National Park.
    Leopard Slug
  • This puffball mushroom is very common and I see them all over the Southeast. This is just an example of  the beauty that I've been walking past so frequently while looking for "the big picture". Sometimes the beauty really is in the details!
    Pear-Shaped Puffball (Lycoperdon pyr..rme)
  • Found throughout the mountainous forests of Asia, North America and Europe, these unusual mushrooms look a lot like human teeth growing out of the rich humus of the forest floor. These particular mushrooms were found growing under a massive western red cedar next to the Greenwater River in Washington's Cascade Mountains.
    Strap Coral
  • Mushrooms can be truly strange and weird-looking, but when it comes to the group known as elfin saddles, strange takes on a whole new meaning. Found across much of Northern Europe and parts of North America, this pair of completely irregular white elfin saddle mushrooms were found in the heavily wooded Cascade Mountains in Washington State just southeast of Enumclaw on a chilly, rainy, November afternoon at mid-elevation.
    White Elfin Saddles (Helvella crispa)
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