Top 20 Most Common Mushrooms in Albany

The uniquely tiny cap of the orange moss agaric (Rickenella fibula) erupts from tufts of moss in dense woodlands. It is easy to overlook this delicate little mushroom, as the cap barely grows to be 1 cm across! They are most commonly seen after spring rain showers and thrive in damp conditions.

The russula persanguinea(Russula persanguinea) is an uncommon occurrence throughout Australia, so if you're looking to spot one, keep your eyes peeled! They're relatively tricky to find, and can grow both on living and necrotic trees. Look closely for a very shiny cap after a rain, as moisture makes them viscous and much more noticeable. They are most commonly seen around Eucalyptus.

This mushroom is distinctive for the spines, or teeth, that hang down from the underside of its cap. It can be found on forest floors singly or in groups. In spite of the name, sweet tooth, it has a slightly spicy bite and bitter aftertaste. This wild mushroom needs to be cooked before it is truly edible, and only young, parasite-free mushrooms should be harvested.

Beefsteak fungus(Fistulina hepatica) is an unusual fungus that visually resembles a slab of raw meat; cutting into it will cause a discharge of thick red liquid resembling blood, adding to this resemblance.

Rooting shank has been known by over a dozen names throughout the years. Despite this identity crisis, this rooting shank is not difficult to recognize due to its distinctive long stem, much of which is often hiding in the soil. This mushroom can most frequently be found on stumps or deadwood beneath the ground.

A native of Australia and New Zealand, the vividly colored, deep red ruby bonnet (Cruentomycena viscidocruenta) appears in small groups on woody debris in autumn and winter. Its scientific name means “sticky-bloody” and this is a good description of how the fruitbodies appear when wet.

Australia: Gymnopilus allantopus is extremely common in the Perth region most often seen on fallen Banksia logs and branches. It is a decomposer fungus occurring on a wide range of rotting logs stumps and woody debris. The Golden Wood Fungus produces fruit bodies over most of the main local Australian fungus season – spring to summer and also produces masses of fan-like white thread in the wood that can be seen any time of the year. The best way to see the fans is to lift off a strip of bark to reveal the underlying threads amid the soft white-rotted wood. The fungus is easily identified in the field by its bright gills that develop rusty spots when old white flap on the margin of young caps and white fan-like mycelium. It has a bright ochre brown spore print. Most often the fruit bodies have a straight stem but if the specimens emerge from the side of a log the stem curves upwards. . Gills bright orange-yellow. Young caps with white flap on margin. Abundant white fan-like threads in rotting wood. Cap: 10–40 mm. Spore print: ochre brown.

Found in many countries around the northern hemisphere, the laughing gym grows on stumps of deciduous trees, and occasionally under conifers. This mushroom is large, firm, and colorful, and appears in small groups. Its scientific name, Gymnopilus junonius, means “naked cap sacred to Juno,” a reference to its distinctive and beautiful appearance. This mushroom is inedible and possibly toxic.

The wide, prominent pores of the orange pore fungus (Favolaschia calocera) make it appear as if a honeycomb has been attached to the side of a decaying log. This distinctive species originated in Madagascar and spread on shipped lumber around the globe. It grows so well that it is considered invasive in some regions, out-competing local fungi.

As its common name indicates, dung-loving deconica(Deconica coprophila) is most commonly found sprouting from decaying clumps of bovine or horse dung, particularly after periods of heavy rain. Perhaps unsurprisingly, there is little information available regarding its edibility. Consumption is therefore not recommended.