far-out fungus, San Juan Islands WA

[Daniel B. Wheeler]

Charlie Wilkes <charlie_wilkes at easynews.com> wrote in message news:<pgpmoose.200208271118.21179 at net.bio.net>...
> I'm itching for a groovy new psychedelic experience.  Is this fungus
> as trippy as it looks?
> 
> http://www.geocities.com/wallofgrays/fungus.htm
> 
The first picture does look atypical, Charlie. Kind of like a group of
lettuce growing from a stump, don't you think?

But the other two close-ups confirm this is Laetiporus sulphureus, aka
Chicken of the woods. Break off the growing segments of the fungi (the
outer 1 to 1.5 inches) into bite-sized chunks, grill, and feed away.

Some people have experienced gastric upset with this fungus if it is
growing on eucalyptus. Such mind- (and gut-)blowing trips are probably
_not_ what you are looking for. OTOH, I don't know of any eucalyptus
growing in the San Juans, unless it's someone's private arboretum.

Daniel B. Wheeler
www.oregonwhitetruffles.com