Common fungi
Pulvinula constellatio
On sand, soil, amid moss, or on burnt ground. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies bright orange, up to 8 mm wide, smooth.
- Flat to slightly concave.
- Tapering to a blunt base, stem absent.
Eyelash Cup Fungus
Scutellinia scutellata
On dead wood, often burnt logs. Decomposer.
- Disks bright orange.
- Disks fringed with thin black hairs.
- Usually on burnt wood.
- Size of disk 3-20 mm.
- Spores print, not applicable.
Inermisia fusispora
In clusters on litter – leaves, woody debris, or soil. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies bright orange, minute (up to 1mm wide).
- Tea-cup-shaped. Top of cups flat, waxy.
- Rim of cup fringed with whitish scales.
Earth Tongues
Geoglossum cookeianum
On grass, lawns. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies up to 80 mm tall, black, smooth.
- Club-shaped, often flattened, but variable.
- Stem often twisted or contorted.
Tuart Nut Fungus
Harknessia uromycoides
On fallen eucalypt nuts, especially Tuart. Less often, fallen buds or leaves. Decomposer.
- Minute, yellowish, pustules up to 1mm wide.
- Black material (spores) in pustules seen with hand lens.
Dung Buttons
Poronia erici
On dung. Decomposer.
- Button-like fruit bodies.
- Surface wrinkled, pitted with minute pores (see under a hand lens).
- Buttons up to 3-5 mm wide.
Candle Snuff Fungus
Xylaria hypoxylon
In litter, usually attached to woody debris. Decomposer.
- Contorted, tough, finger-like, up to 80 mm tall.
- Black, covered with copious white powder.
Rosy Hypomyces
Hypomyces rosellus
On burnt dead eucalypt wood. Parasite/Decomposer.
- Minute red flasks, up to 0.3 mm tall.
- Flasks partly embedded in cream-yellowish growth.
Truffle-like Peziza
Hydnoplicata convoluta
Under litter. Mycorrhizal.
- Fruit bodies underground, below litter.
- Convoluted, white to cream.
- Up to 20-30 x 12 mm.
- Photo is of excavated specimens.
Austrogautieria manjimupana
Under litter. (photo is of excavated specimens) Mycorrhizal.
Underground Scleroderma
Scleroderma sp.
Under litter. (photo is of excavated specimens) Mycorrhizal.
Underground Dog Poo Fungus
Pisolithus hypogaeus
Under litter. (photo is of excavated specimen, left. Compared with Underground Scleroderma [see page I-5] on right) Mycorrhizal.
Common Agrocybe
Agrocybe pediades
In grassy areas, parks, playing fields. Decomposer.
- Buttons golden orange, buttons soon fading.
- Cap 15-50 mm wide, convex to flat.
- Spore print dark brown.
Australian Honey Fungus
Armillaria luteobubalina
In clusters on or near living, dying, or dead trees and woody shrubs. Pathogen.
- Cap up to 100 mm wide, yellow to golden orange.
- Cap covered with tiny dark raised scales.
- Stem tough, often with tapering base.
- White ring near top of stem.
- Spore print white, copious.
Egg Yolk Fungus
Bolbitius vitellinus
In grassy areas, woodchips, richly organic areas. Decomposer.
- Buttons round, slimy, bright yellow, soon fading.
- Cap 10-50 mm wide.
- Stem pale yellow, delicate.
- Spore print brown.
Shy Funnel Cap
Clitocybe semiocculta
Gregarious in clusters orotting logs, bark and wood. Decomposer.
- Cap up to 40 mm wide, white then cream, with in-rolled margin.
- Gills very crowded, shallow, white then cream.
- Stem white, often excentric, some centrally joined to cap.
- Spore print white.
Western Australian Magpie Fungus
Coprinus aff. stanglianus
In highly disturbed, weedy areas. Decomposer.
- Buttons white to cream, enveloped by thick, felty veil.
- Buttons 60 x 50 mm. Mature cap up to 100-125 mm wide.
- Becoming inky; dissected old cap weeping from the apex of white stem 100-150 mm long.
- Spore print black.
Flocculose Ink Cap
Coprinus flocculosus
In woodchips, sawdust, rich garden beds. Decomposer.
- Cap up to 50 mm wide, finely radially grooved.
- Covered with white, small, fibrillose patches, easily removed.
- Stem tall (up to 90mm), white.
- Spore print black.
Impatient Ink Cap
Coprinus impatiens
In woodchips, rich litter/soil. Decomposer.
- Cap 3-25 mm, finely radially grooved, with central caramel spot.
- Cap surface smooth to the eye, without veil particles.
- Stem to 50 x 2 mm, smooth to the eye (covered with minute hairs).
- Spore print black.
Tiny Hairy Ink Cap
Coprinus lagopus
In woodchips, rich litter/soil, lawn. Decomposer.
- Cap 5-35 mm, finely radially grooved, with central grey spot.
- Bundles of white to pale grey hairs lying on cap surface.
- Stem up to 55 x 3 mm, white, fragile.
- Spore print black.
Parasol Ink Cap
Coprinus plicatilis
In grassy areas, parks, playing fields. Decomposer.
- Delicate, thin-fleshed, appears early morning, withered by noon.
- Cap radially grooved-pleated, with central tan spot.
- Gills become black but with little or no ink.
- Cap 10-25 mm wide.
- Spore print black.
Glistening Ink Cap
Coprinus truncorum
In clusters or troops on or near dying or dead trees and woody shrubs. Decomposer.
- Cap up to 50 mm wide, golden ochre then grey, finally inky black.
- Young caps with glistening white granules that disappear later.
- Almost identical to C. micaceus - microscope required.
- Spore print black.
Golden Tuart Cortinarius
Cortinarius ochraceofulvus
In litter or on grass near trees, particularly near Tuart. Mycorrhizal.
- Cap up to 80 mm wide, golden yellow-brown, often pocked by collembola.
- Gills pale fawn, never becoming rusty.
- Cobweb-like, whitish, rapidly disappearing veil.
- Spore print rusty brown.
Volvate Cortinar
Cortinarius phalarus
In litter. Mycorrhizal.
- Cap 25-70 mm, bright brown with adhering white patches.
- Stem cream, with white cup (volva) at base.
- Gills fawn brown.
- Spore print brown.
Eucalypt Crepidotus
Crepidotus eucalyptorum
On living eucalypt trees, particularly on tuart. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies up to 40 mm wide, shell-shaped, soft.
- Surface pale yellowish-brown, with minute brown fibrils and scales.
- Gills cream then pale tan.
- Spore print rusty brown.
Dark Pinkgill
Entoloma moongum
In litter, on soil. Decomposer.
- Cap up to 35 mm wide, black.
- Gills pale bluish then dusky pink.
- Stem purplish-brown, smooth.
- Spore print dull pinkish brown.
Smooth parasol
Leucoagaricus naucinus
On grass, lawns, pastures. Decomposer.
Poison Pax
Paxillus involutus
In litter, always near exotic trees. Mycorrhizal.
Common Pholiota
Pholiota communis
In litter or on soil, often near dead wood. Decomposer.
Common Rosegill
Volvariella speciosa
In grass, woodchips, richly organic beds. Decomposer.
- Buttons egg-shaped.
- Cap up to 120 mm wide, slimy, becomes waterlogged.
- Stem tall, up to 120 mm. Cup at base. No ring.
- Gills not attached to stem, white then pink, finally dark brownish-pink.
- Spore print dark salmon.
Pin Wheel Agaricus
Agaricus rotalis
In grassy areas, nurseries, gardens. Decomposer.
Pink-gilled Amanita
Amanita carneiphylla
Deeply rooted and emerging from sandy soil. Mycorrhizal.
Spotted Descolea
Descolea maculata
In litter and soil, abundant near eucalypts and paperbark trees. Mycorrhizal.
Archer’s Cortinar
Cortinarius archeri
In litter. Mycorrhizal.
Crepidotus prostratus
In litter/soil, attached to buried wood often near base of eucalypt. Decomposer.
Amanita umbrinella
In litter, or on soil, often near eucalypts. Mycorrhizal.
Plum and Custard Fungus
Tricholomopsis rutilans
On rotting wood. Decomposer.
Clarke’s Pixie Cap
Mycena clarkeana
In clusters on rotting wood & living trees, often paperbarks. Decomposer.
Slimy Yellow Cortinar
Cortinarius sinapicolor
In litter, or on soil. Mycorrhizal.
Rhodocollybia sp.
In litter, often in disturbed areas of bushland. Decomposer.
- Cap up to 100 mm wide, pinkish-brown, smooth, dry.
- Gills cream, crowded.
- Spore print yellow-buff to clay.
Shaggy Parasol
Chlorophyllum brunneum
In garden beds, compost and soil. Decomposer.
Leucoagaricus meleagris
Gregarious in woodchip heaps and compost. Decomposer.
Rhubarb Bolete
Boletellus obscurecoccineus
In litter. Mycorrhizal.
- Cap 40-70 mm, bright rosy red, smooth, soft, dry.
- Stem slender, red, with scattered small red scales.
- Pores and tubes bright yellow.
- Flesh not bluing when cut.
- Spore print dull dark brown.
Red-capped Boletus
Boletus prolinius
In litter. Mycorrhizal.
- Cap 70-95 mm, wine red, smooth, dry.
- Stem entirely densely covered with small red scales.
- Pores tinged red and yellow. Tubes pale greenish-yellow.
- Flesh yellow, quickly bluing when cut.
- Spore print dull olive.
Variable Gyroporus
Gyroporus aff. cyanescens
In litter, sand or grassy areas. Mycorrhizal.
- Rapidly bright purple when cut or upon touch.
- Cap up to 150 mm wide, dull yellowish-ochre.
- Stem develops internal chambers and a hard brittle rind.
- Spore print yellow.
Tylopilus sp.
In litter, or soil. Mycorrhizal.
- Cap up to 150 mm wide, purplish date brown, bruising darker.
- Stem bruising reddish turning dark date brown.
- Spore print dusky brown.
Red Fingers
Colus pusillus
In litter, sand, often near swampy ground. Decomposer.
- Horizontally-wrinkled, red arms emerging from a jelly-like white ‘egg’.
- Arms up to 65 mm tall. ‘Egg’ 35 x 25 mm.
- Inside of arms coated with foul smelling slimy spore mass.
Tennis Ball Puffball
Mycenastrum corium
In soil, litter, amid grass. Decomposer.
- p
Dog Poo Fungus
Pisolithus species
In litter, on soil, often in disturbed areas, e.g. pushing up bitumen. Mycorrhizal.
Cannonball Fungus
Sphaerobolus stellatus
On wood, dung. Decomposer.
Stalked Puffballs
Tulostoma sp.
Emerging from litter or on soil. Decomposer.
Bird’s Nest Fungus
Cyathus olla
Gregarious amid and upon woodchips and mulch in garden beds. Decomposer.
Bird’s Nest Fungus
Cyathus stercoreus
Gregarious amid and upon woodchips and mulch in garden beds. Decomposer.
Slender Coral Fungus
Ramaria gracilis
In eucalypt and pine litter, often deeply buried. Mycorrhizal.
- Fruit bodies with dull yellowish-tan, narrow, upright branches to 70 mm tall.
- Branch tips with 2-5 sharp pointed or blunt protrusions.
- White rhizomorphic mycelium adhering to woody material.
- Spore print yellow-brown.
Fairy Clubs
Macrotyphula juncea
On wood twigs and leaves. Decomposer.
- Upright, slender, unbranched, bendable.
- Usually 15-50 mm tall x 1.5 mm wide.
- Stem slightly darker and thinner than fertile head.
- Spore print white.
Tough Cinnamon Fungus
Coltricia cinnamomea
In litter. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies leathery-tough, cinnamon-rusty.
- Cap thin, silky-shiny, concentrically zoned. 30-50 mm wide.
- Pores brown, shallow, angular.
- Stem dark brown, felty, often several joined to commonly fused caps.
- Spore print yellowish-brown.
Lilac Bracket Fungus
Fomitopsis lilacinogilva
On dead wood, often large eucalypt logs. Decomposer.
- Pink to mauve colouration – pores bruise intense mauve upon touch.
- Fruit bodies tough, rubbery, variable from large brackets to amorphous excrescences.
- Flesh dense rusty-brown, dulling to dark brown after cut.
- Variable in form, brackets up to 250 mm wide.
- Spore print white.
Wasp Nest Polypore
Hexagonia vesparia
On dead wood. Decomposer.
- Brackets tough, hard, broadly attached to wood.
- Pores very large (up to 3 mm wide), polygonal-angular, dull cream.
- Size up to 80 mm wide.
- Spore print white.
White Punk
Laetiporus portentosus
On trees. Pathogen.
- Brackets white to pale brown, large.
- Flesh white.
- Pores straw to yellow.
- Size up to 400 mm wide.
- Spore print white.
Lavender-pored Bracket Fungus
Phaeotrametes decipiens
On living, dying or dead trees. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies to 50mm wide, shell-shaped to hemispherical hard brackets.
- Pores pale lavender, large (up to 1 or 2mm wide).
- Upper surface rich red-brown, concentrically zoned, velvety.
- Spore print pale lavender, turning yellowish.
Woody Layered Bracket Fungus
Phellinus robustus
On trees. Pathogen.
- Hard, perennial, woody brackets up to 120 mm wide.
- Multi-layered; uppermost blackened and fissured
- Youngest at base. Pores minute, dull greyish-brown.
Curry Punk
Piptoporus australiensis
On dead or living eucalypt trees, often Tuart. Pathogen / Decomposer.
- Brackets bright orange, large, usually solitary.
- Flesh orange and with a staining juice.
- Odour pungent-spicy or musty.
- Up to 400 mm wide.
- Spore print white.
Scarlet Bracket Fungus
Pycnoporus coccineus
On dead, often well white-rotted wood. Decomposer.
- Brackets tough, bright orange. Can persist and become dull and paler when old.
- Pores and flesh bright orange.
- Variable in shape and size; up to 150 mm wide.
- Spore print white.
Beefsteak Fungus
Fistulina hepatica
On living or dead trees, usually solitary. Pathogen/Decomposer.
- Brackets up to 250mm wide, tongue-like or similar shape.
- Pink-red when young, later with brown upper surface.
- Tubes separated from each other (see close-up photo).
- Flesh fleshy, juicy, marbled.
- Spore print pale brown.
Pine Skin Fungus
Amphinema byssoides
On underside of dead wood, near living pines.
Decomposer & Mycorrhizal.
Rosy Skin Fungus
Asterostroma persimile
On dead wood, branches and leaves. Decomposer.
Bysso Skin Fungus
Byssomerulius corium
On dead wood, often on fallen branches. Decomposer.
Golden Splash Tooth
Mycoacia subceracea
On dead wood. Decomposer.
- Forms completely resupinate (flat) patches.
- Golden yellow blunt teeth up to 1.5 mm long.
- Spore print white.
Wrinkled Waxy Skin Fungus
Phlebia rufa
On bark of living trees. Decomposer.
Purplish Stereum Purplish Stereum
Stereum illudens Stereum illudens
On rotting logs and wood. Decomposer. On rotting logs and wood. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies vary: resupinate (flat) patches, shelf-like or shell-shaped. Fruit bodies vary: resupinate (flat) patches, shelf-like or shell-shaped.
- Upper surface rusty brown, zoned with coarse sharp-pointed hairs. Upper surface rusty brown, zoned with coarse sharp-pointed hairs.
- Lower surface smooth then wrinkled, purplish-brown, margin white. Lower surface smooth then wrinkled, purplish-brown, margin white.
- Spore print white. Spore print white.
Hyphodontia arguta
On dead wood. Decomposer.
Scotsman’s Beard
Calocera guepinioides
On dead wood, often Banksia wood. Decomposer.
- Tiny cylindrical or slightly tapering fingers on wood.
- Colour orange or yellow.
- Gelatinous texture.
- Up to 5 mm tall.
- Spore print white.
Yellow Brain Fungus
Tremella mesenterica group (incl. T. aurantia)
On rotting wood. Decomposer.
- Brain-like, bright orange when young.
- Up to 100 mm, paler yellowish with flabby lobes when mature.
- Parasitic on other fungi that occupy rotting wood.
Miniature Chimney Pots
Henningsomyces candidus
In colonies on bark or de-barked dead wood, branches, twigs and leaves.
Decomposer.
Split-Gill Fungus
Schizophyllum commune
On rotting logs, stumps and wood. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies up to 40 mm, fan-shaped, pinkish, drying pale greyish, tough.
- Upper surface covered with short hairs, greenish with algae when old.
- Gills split lengthways, curled outwards when dry.
- Spore print white.
Orange Aleurodiscus
Aleurodiscus sp.
On wood, Banksia cones. Decomposer.
Merismodes anomalus
In densely crowded colonies on bark or wood. Decomposer.
Shotgun Fungus
Pilobolus
On dung. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies gregarious, short-lived, up to 3 mm tall.
- Semi-translucent, bending towards light.
- Black spore package at apex forcibly shot off.
Slime Mould
Badhamia folliicola
On grass. Decomposer.
Icicle Fairy Fans
Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa
On wood. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies in delicate clusters and rosettes.
- White, semi-translucent, club-shaped structures to 1 mm tall.
Slime Mould
Trichia decipiens
On wood. Decomposer.
Dog Vomit Slime Mould
Fuligo septica
On woodchips, litter, wood, mulched garden beds. Decomposer.
- Slimy plasmodium develops amorphous yellow growths.
- Growths become crusty, dull pinkish.
Slime Mould
Stemonitis sp.
On wood. Decomposer.
Slime Mould
Diachea leucopodia
On wood, including masses on woodchips. Decomposer.
- Fruit bodies dull yellow, gelatinous-fleshy.
- Outer surface with minute dark brown dots.
- Rim of cup thick, blunt.
- Cup 10-25 mm.
Fleshy Cup Fungus
