Fungi Walk!

On Friday afternoon, our Biology class went on a walk to seek out the various types of fungi within Fleetwood Park's forest. Prior to this walk, we learned about many different types of fungi in class, mainly the 5 Phyla: Oomycota (Water Molds), Zygomycota (Common Molds), Ascomycota (Sac Fungi), Basidiomycota (Club Fungi), and Deuteromycota (Imperfect Fungi). To be honest, I didn't think our forest would contain so much fungi, but to my surprise, I was totally proven wrong! There were hundreds of fungi around us! I found a wide array of fungi, including shelf mushrooms, jelly fungi and lichens. I found a really long shelf mushroom along the side of a log. Its astonishing to know that mushrooms could grow so long! Although most fungi were visible to the naked eye, there were some very small orange fungi That I find growing on a branch. I'm unable to identify what it is, but my best guess would probably that it is Basidiomycota. The lesson in class and this fungi walk taught me a lot about the importance of fungi with an ecosystem, and how fungi work. I guess all mushrooms aren't edible after all!

Very tiny orange circular fungi on a tree

Shelf mushrooms and moss on a damp log 

A very long shelf mushroom underneath a log

Some white shelf fungi  

Jelly fungi growing on the end of a log

Tiny reddish fungi on a small branch near the stream

A shelf mushroom underneath a log

Rusts growing on some leaves