The Bright Red Mushroom: Where my love of fungi began

It was a wild, wet morning in the winter of 2017. The dog and I decided we needed to get out for some fresh air and a bush walk. I grabbed my raincoat and we headed off to walk the Rendell weir loop we had walked so many times before….. Little did I know this would be the day my fungi obsession began!

Having come around the first bend my eye caught a glimpse of red, it was a beacon amongst the green and brown hues of winter, I took a closer look and was surprised to see a pair of mushrooms with bright red caps and pearly white gills and stems. I was curious to find out more about them I took some photos with my phone to hopefully help with identification when I got home.

Russula persanguinea, a member of the Brittle gill family.

What was this bright red mushroom?

I jumped on google and after a little research I identified this mushroom as a species of Russula. Known as Brittle Gills, Russula are one of the most recognizable genera of fungi. Often with colourful caps and white gills they are a common fungi seen in the South-West all through the winter months.

A beginner’s guide to identification: What I learnt

I posted my find on Facebook and a friend suggested joining the Western Australian Fungi group. With over 10,000 members (at the time) this group is a great resource where you can share your photos and more often than not get a positive identification on your finds. Through this group you can access many documents and fact sheets specific to WA fungi species. I learnt that many fungi are very similar and taking photos of cap, spore surface, stipe, environment and any distinguishing features were needed for ID.

Reflections

From the moment I caught that glimpse of red I was excited, and I kept a keen eye to the ground for the rest of my walk, with hope of another find. I reflected later that evening on how good it felt exploring my local trails, seeing nature’s beauty and learning about the Russula I had found. I couldn’t wait to get back out there!  

Conclusion

Being out in nature is always relaxing, now with my new hobby it is also very exciting. Get out there, eyes to the ground, you never know what you might find. Do you have a similar story? Please share in the comments.