ארכיון יומן של נובמבר 2016

נובמבר 25, 2016

Phenology notes on the 2016 autumn season

This post pertains to phenological observations (primarily fungal) from October to mid-November. As I write this, the season seems to be moving quickly from fall to winter. The Lactarius and Russula are moving in and the boletes are on their way out.

Also, more or less right now: The live oaks, (especially noticeable along the Graham Hill Road corridor above Santa Cruz) seem to be having some sort of mass flowering event – this seems weird?

Same with Saucer Magnolias around town in Santa Cruz – I typically see them in spring, but they are almost all in flower around my neighborhood (King Street corridor).

Okay: The Character of the Fall, from a Fungal Perspective:

Boletes had an exceptionally prolific year, with most pickers saying it was their best year ever for the Butter Boletes (Butyriboletus species) as well as the Porcini (Boletus s.s.). It certainly was true for me, especially pronounced for Butryiboletus persolidus and Boletus regineus.

Less-sought after species with pronounced abundant fruiting this year include Amanita calyptroderma (more than I've ever seen), and Rubroboletus eastwoodiae (can't remember this many fruitbodies since the fall of 2011, when there may have been slightly more).

As I write this, it seems that White King Boletes (Boletus barrowsii) are nearing their peak fruiting – perhaps a couple weeks after the peak for Butyriboletus persolidus (locally) and maybe a week after the peak of the other porcini. I had never thought of them as last-in-line of the porcini (w/r/t phenology). It will be interesting to see if future seasons bear out this order of fruiting.

Also perhaps curious - Caloboletus marshii didn't put in much of an appearance. I only saw maybe 5 fruitbodies. Do they do better in fall seasons that are very dry? Did the early rains swamp their normal fruiting period with too-wet soil?

Even veteran pickers with decades of experience have said this is the greatest number of boletes they've seen in the past 30-40 years. I have little doubt this is directly due to Typhoon Songda's early heavy rain and the subsequent warmth (thought to be favored by boletes). This may have been enhanced by the fact that these species either were not triggered to fruit or only weakly triggered for the past 3-4 years of drought, perhaps allowing them/causing them to have a "masting" response (last-ditch? accumulated resources?).

Other notes - Amanita phalloides are also having a prolific fruiting this year (although I think there are comparable years in my recent memory).

Amanita vernicoccora on 15 Nov at Fall Creek was one of few fall records I've seen. I saw it fruiting with Doug-fir and possibly scattered oaks/madrones near the Trailer Park on the UCSC Campus in November a number of years ago... I'll have to dig out the photo.

Russula "Green Madrone" sensu Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast put in a couple appearances (Big Basin, Quail Hollow). I had only seen it twice before, so perhaps it is also in the cohort of species that like these early-heavy-warm rains.

הועלה ב-נובמבר 25, 2016 12:24 לפנה"צ על ידי leptonia leptonia | 12 תצפיות | 0 תגובות | הוספת תגובה