What Types of Mushrooms Grow in Texas?
What Types of Mushrooms Grow in Texas?. Texas mushroom hunters discover hundreds of mold and fungi in the state's desert, forest and semi-arid areas. Wild mushrooms grow year round. Some are edible, others are deadly. There's no substitute for an expert guide, especially if you're thinking about eating Texas' wild mushrooms. (See Reference 1, Pg....
Texas mushroom hunters discover hundreds of mold and fungi in the state’s desert, forest and semi-arid areas. Wild mushrooms grow year round. Some are edible, others are deadly. There’s no substitute for an expert guide, especially if you’re thinking about eating Texas’ wild mushrooms. (See Reference 1, Pg. 1, 2)
Earthballs
Resembling a small ball, the earthball is one of Texas’ puffball mushrooms. They are stalk-free, meaning they hold themselves to the ground with their roots. You can find these brown mushrooms growing on wood as well as on the ground. Earthball mushrooms have irregular, darker-toned patches. Their interiors resemble dark dirt.
Brain Fungi
The body of brain fungi looks like a cup. You can’t miss it because its outer texture resembles a brain. This mushroom produces spores within its folds. You will find them growing on wood as well as on the ground.
Stinkhorns
Stinkhorns look like tiny horns—or they are phallic-shaped. Insects enjoy their dark and slimy exterior layer. Stickhorns smell terrible. Chances are that you will smell one before you see it. Yet in some parts of the world, stinkhorn mushrooms are considered a delicacy.
Polypores
Like the puffball mushroom, polypores don’t have a stalk. They grow on wood in a cluster of wavy-edged, round caps.
Devil's Cigar
As its name suggests, the devil's cigar looks like a dark-brown cigar. When the mushroom matures and opens, its shape resembles a star. Because it looks a lot like the star that appears on Texas' flag, the Texas Legislature recognizes the devil’s cigar mushroom as its official state fungus.
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