Perhaps due to my lack of success in finding any Parrot Waxcaps at a certain location in Lane Cove National Park the day before, I decided to head up to Springwood and visit Birdwood Gully again, where I had seen them recently.
Birdwood Gully is one of three locations I have seen this Parrot Waxcap mushroom. I think it belongs to the Gliophorus psittacinus group. It seems to be very rare in Australia. But it is also small and very hard to spot, so perhaps it’s more abundant than we think, but easily overlooked?
On this visit to Birdwood Gully, I headed straight away to the very small location that I have found them before, and I soon spotted a few. After more careful looking, I spotted a few more. Most of these are between 1 and 2 cm tall.
Gliophorus psittacinus group
Gliophorus psittacinus group and Trichoglossum hirsutum
In the above photo, I did not see the small waxcap on the right hand side while I was photographing. They are extremely hard to spot! They seem to prefer very gloomy habitat.
Gliophorus psittacinus group
In the two photos below, there are Earth Tongues (Trichoglossum hirsutum) nearby. I have observed them close to Parrot Waxcaps in the other two locations – Lane Cove National Park and Bola Creek in Royal National Park. I wonder if there is some sort of association between the two species?
It was then time to see what other fungi was around.
Ramaria sp.
Hygrocybe roseoflavida
The Hygrocybe roseoflavida was much the same as observed on my previous visit.
Gliophorus graminicolor
Cuphophyllus aurantiopallens
Phaeoclavulina ochracea
Gliophorus graminicolor
Hygrocybe lilaceolamellata
