NC, Smokies, 20060607
CabinCove, MW and RR, flowers and fungi.

Mary-Wanda and Ridge Runner.

pink cauliflower

On upper Ridge Runner somewhere, forget where.
GEN brain? fungus on dead hardwood limb
CAP brainlike, tiny, pink powdery, white flesh, chambers inside?
SPORE clear, min (pillows 4-7mm wide), cyl, 1 cell, smooth to somewhat depressed on sides, 4.3-5.2x1.7-2.2um
Could it be Peziza proteana sparassoides? Basically I have no idea.

Chamaelirium luteum

Started to bloom on Mary-Wanda by elderberry spring.

Clavaria vermicularis

Growing in undergrowth to right of Mary-Wanda just before it enters the field.
GEN earthtongue fungus, on ground
ST white, 2-4mm wide, maybe 100mm tall, fragile, solid, branched only at v base
GILL no apparent fertile surface, laying them on a slide produces a spore print however
SPORE print white, 4.5-5.5x3.5-4.5um, nearly round, prom pt at one end, smooth, 1 cell, clear to greenish

Geranium maculatum

Very last one in fl; in field of Mary-Wanda. Petals had fallen off two days later.

Hypoxis hirsuta

Found this blooming on Hickory Knob, to right of trail near top of knob.

Pholiota aurivella? []

Growing from base of live Tsuga at top of Mary-Wanda where it joins Ridge Runner.
GEN large mushroom, on living conifer
ST smooth at top, golden-scurfy bel obvious remnants of partial veil, thick, stout, curved at base where it attaches to trunk just bel the ground
CAP slimy dk rusty brown smooth w conspic clawed large brownish scales esp near edge
FLESH pallid, soft, thick
GILL wide, flimsy, greyish, notched
SPORE print dull brown, ellip, apic tips, brown, smooth, 1 cell, 10-12x6um
According to Arora these spores are large enough that it can only be P. aurivella or P. aurivelloides, but doesn't describe any further distinctions between the two. Seems to match description of the former rather well.

Sarcoscypha coccinea

All over in leaf litter where Ridge Runner starts to climb to old logging road.
GEN cup fungus, on leaves or twigs
ST fibrous whitish "root" sometimes present, can be quite long, att in center bel
CAP broad cup-shaped, 5-20mm or so wide, vivid scarlet inside, whitish cast over the red it outside, rubbery, curling in as it dries out