Jack-o-lantern

I feel that I must atone for the stinkhorn of the previous post; thus here we have a really great looking fungus.

A massive growth of the Jack-o-lantern, Omphalotus illudens. This cluster was growing on dead wood on a steep bank, and so conspicuous that everyone that passed by the spot reported on it.

Jack-o-lanterns allegedly bioluminesce, or glow in the dark. Hmmm... Not sure I buy that. Everyone says that they do, but I've not yet seen it. During a nocturnal foray, we went by this clump and... nothing. Not so much as a meager flicker. Burned out light bulbs glow brighter than this mushroom did.

Even if Jack-o-lanterns don't really glow in the dark, they are still very beautiful fungi. The feathery-edged caps are a spectacular orangish-yellow tint, and the overall robustness of the organism is sure to attract the eye.

Jacks do resemble edible Chanterelle mushrooms, and more than a few folks have been fooled into eating bits of Omphalotus. Mistake. You won't die, but be prepared to spend some time hugging the porcelain throne, and enjoying fits of diarrhea and painful stomach cramps.

But the bugs love these things. Jack-o-lanterns emit an agreeable odor, and I was astonished at the number of insects that were swarming the caps, presumably lured by the aroma.