Time was flying by, but now it was time to circle back thru the woods to the car.
As I said it was time to leave the twisty creek behind.
Some tiny slime mold. Jeanne thought they looked like brains. 😉
The stinkhorn, the Devil’s Dipstick (Multinus elegans) caught my attention. I had seen this before but it was new for Jeanne.
However what was new to me were the beetles on the stinkhorn. They were the Crusader Carrion Beetle or American Carrion Beetle (Necrophila americana)!
A close view!
The pale orange Wolf’s-Milk Slime Mold (Lycogala epidendrum)!
Right below the Wolf’s Milk was some fuzzy yellow tiny slime mold! You may have noticed it on the photo above.
Always checking the underside for critters. None here today.
While I was looking at the above mushroom Jeanne stopped for a bryophyte. Then she saw the Old Man of the Woods!
Next to it was a small red Russula mushroom being taken over by a white fungus.
Jeanne stood up and turned around. Oh my goodness it was the Pinesap (Monotropa hypopitys) Also it goes by Dutchman’s Pipe, False Beech-drops or Yellow Bird’s-nest. Only four observations in Texas and two in Oklahoma. Most observations are either in the east or west. Conspicuously missing in the middle of the US in iNat.
A new species for us! We just sat there for 5 or 10 minutes just soaking it in. Of course I took lots of photos.
All kinds of angles! This beauty does not contain chlorophyll getting its food from fungus. Normally like the name suggests it is found areas where there are pine trees. However there were no pines near us. Instead it must also like a fungus that associated with Eastern Red Cedar or the Cedar Elm where it was growing. between.
Lots of good treasures are found next creeks. But in fact treasures are in many places!
Wow!!! Great find!!
That’s two great finds this year isn’t it? Congratulations!
Thanks, it’s always fun.
Seems there is new wonderful life to find on every adventure!
Whoa. Y’all had a great day in the field! Pinedrops – super! !