northeastnaturalist

Eastern Jack-o-lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus illudens), PA

Eastern Jack-o-lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus illudens), PA

Eastern Jack-o-lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus illudens) -- beware the beautiful poison. (Do not confuse them with edible chanterelles.) This clump was growing at...
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Eastern Jack-o-lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus illudens) -- beware the beautiful poison. (Do not confuse them with edible chanterelles.) This clump was growing at the base of a tree in the woods at Barbour's Rock in Colton Point State Park, above Pine Creek Gorge, part of the Pennsylvania Wilds Region. (August 31st, from my archives) Jack's are one of about 112 bioluminescent fungi, meaning they glow in the dark at night. Bioluminescent fungi, nearly all of which are members of the order Agaricales, emit a continuous greenish light, too faint to be seen during the day. (file # D033341VB-DSR)
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