I was keen to visit Sassafras Gully after a long break due to Easter and a visit to Tasmania. I wanted to see how some fungi was going that I had seen last visit and also to look for more fungi.
Having been away, I did not know how wet it had been or how hot. You can look up climate statistics online but they only tell part of the story. Many fungi only “fruit” just after periods of rain. If it has been dry, hot and windy – then they soon dry out and fall to bits.
I was hopeful when I started on the track down into the valley at the end of Sassafras Gully Road. It is a good sign to see fungi out in the drier forest near the ridge tops. But as I descended the fungi seemed either non existent or badly dried out. Compared to my previous visit the fungi was much poorer.
But there were some fresh coral fungi out – mainly Ramaria.
I also was able to observe the unknown species of Gomphus again. I found two – both a reasonable size, but a bit past their best.
Lower down, I found a strange looking fungus under a log –
I think it is Hydnoplicata convoluta.
Wax caps were particularly poor. I found very few out, and those I did find were very old and dry. I was pleased to find another small cluster of Humidicutis taekeri. I had found this in the gully for the first time on the previous visit, so it was good to find another group.
Later, on the way up Magdala Creek I did find two species of toothed fungi. Both probably Hydnellum.
Here are some more of what I found –
More photos are on my website.
Aren’t those toothed fungi quite something!
I think that your Hydnellums are a Sarcodon and Hydnum respectively.
In the pictures on the blog, the white spine fungi are Hydnum repandum. See the linked page for a lot more pictures as well as the photos of the two “species of toothed fungi”, and also a third species. They certainly could be Sarcodon. I think it is likely that there are quite a few undescribed species in Australia. There are certainly a lot more species than appear in guidebooks or online resources.