Ye Olde Stump

There are few facts we can count on as consistently true save one and that is if you have life, eventually death will follow. Birds, fish, lizards, dragonflies and lobsters follow this plan. Plants are no strangers to the blueprint either. Our winters force much of our local flora to raise the white flag and return to the ground.

One death in our neighborhood has provided a great deal of life, however. It is a tree stump that is large enough to serve as a table for four. I do not know what kind of tree it was before it was cut down but it certainly has the markings of a very majestic and sturdy tree. 

I walk by Stumpy almost every day and I often stop to check for fungi. It has been dry lately so the bounty is a bit skimpy but here are a few treasures I found near or on my friend.

If you know, you know. This guy is best left where you find it. I gingerly carried it home so I could positively ID the thing. It rested on my table while I got busy with other tasks until I realized something was frightfully malodorous. Of course, it was the mushroom. Phallus impudicus to be precise, commonly known as Stinkhorn. It has a slimy top structure which does nothing for its personality. Needless to say, el-stinko was disposed of rather quickly. Stumpy doesn’t judge so I suspect the Stinkhorns will live on.

With low expectations I checked Stumpy for fungi last week despite being bone dry in our area. Lo and behold there was a cluster of mushrooms tucked into a nook of the wood. They were a little past their prime but I carried three of them home. They passed the sniff test but were reluctant to give up any of their spores, most likely due to their advanced age. Finally, they spared a few precious spores with me and the pinkish color confirmed my suspicion. Pluteus cervinus is their fancy name or Deer Mushrooms for those of us who do not speak Latin. 

Sadly, I did not get an actual photo of this treasure. The neon yellow is an eye-catcher and I enjoyed inspecting it for a few days during its peak last spring. It is definitely a here-today-gone-tomorrow fungi (as many of them are!). They fall into the “jelly” category of fungi for obvious reasons. The scientific name is Tremella mesenterica. Its common name wins the prize, however. It is Witches’ Butter. It is considered edible, but not flavorful, so I will leave it to the pointy black hat club to enjoy.

One other species has discovered the amenities of Stumpy and that is Xyloclopa virginica, otherwise known as Carpenter bees. They have established a cozy nest at the base of the stump and are rather territorial. My fungi hunting has to be quick and decisive. Time will tell whether I will be able to successfully share Stumpy with the stinger crowd.

Enjoy the beautiful fall weather with a walk in nature. If you see a stump, take a little time to inspect, observe and make a new friend. Treasures may await.