Mushroom ID needed please

[Singeblister]

I have had this log in my shed since spring last year and used it to house my small Anvil on , its had a fair bit of abuse , Tonight I noticed this little lot sprouting out of a hole in the side , I have searched my only book with fungi in it and could not ID them , can anyone help ? strange they should start to grow all of a sudden but we have had a lot of rain might be the shed has got a bit damp.

 

[chickenofthewoods]

They look like very pale and rather dry Velvet Shank. Reading Rogers*, it does indicate that their colour can be variable. Grown commerically Velvet Shank is known as Enoki (Japanese Soup Mushroom) and it's completely white as they are deliberately grown out of the light.

So two questions for you, is it really cold as well as damp in your shed, and has the log been stored away from any direct light source?

* http://www.rogersmushrooms.com/gallery/DisplayBlock~bid~5832.asp

 

[Mikey P]

Agree - looks very Velvet Shank-y to me. Though, as COTW says above (do you ever sleep?), colour seems a bit pale. Perhaps it's because they've grown indoors? Outside they tend to be more yellowy-orange.

Anyway, the good news is that them's good eatin'!

 

[xylaria]

Chickenofthewoods you're right again . The stems look slightly velvety which the diffining feature of Flammulina velutipes. Just to make entirely sure it is not deadly poisonous, I would take a spore print. Lay the cap gill side down on either black paper or glass. After a few hours a white radial pattern should appear the paper. If the spore print is brown there is risk it could be one of these:

http://www.grzyby.pl/gatunki/Galerina_marginata.htm

It is unlikely to be any form of galerina as it looks just like a velvet foot. The colour is a bit pale compared to what is seen in the wild. The chinese cultivate this mushroom on logs in dark sheds, you can also do this with ear fungus but velvet foot tastes better.

The log is from a broad leaf tree isn't it?

 

[Singeblister]

Thanks guys I am glad their edible ones , but I will do the spore print later tonight , they look a bit wilted today though

My shed is insulated to cold and I suppose it could be damp in wet weather although my tools don't go rusty so its not that moist

It is dark most of the time in there with a fluorescent light on when I am working in there.

I am not to sure what the log is to be honest I would have to slit it to find out for sure.
Sleep ? I don't sleep much no

Should I give them a spray with water to help them grow , or move the log outside , If they are edible ones I would like to let them grow on and get a new log

 

[bushtank]

i agree with mikey p they are velvet shanks and i had some last week my self they are good fryed with a little butter and garlic

 

[xylaria]

Thanks guys I am glad their edible ones , but I will do the spore print later tonight , they look a bit wilted today though

My shed is insulated to cold and I suppose it could be damp in wet weather although my tools don't go rusty so its not that moist

It is dark most of the time in there with a fluorescent light on when I am working in there.

I am not to sure what the log is to be honest I would have to slit it to find out for sure.
Sleep ? I don't sleep much no

Should I give them a spray with water to help them grow , or move the log outside , If they are edible ones I would like to let them grow on and get a new log

Keep the log where it is. Dont' bother worrying about the light it is not a big factor in how fungi grow. They don't photosynthasise but it may change growth patterns in secondary myclieum (fruit bodies forming ). It has already started fruiting so dont worry.

Keep the log damp and cold. Don't chop it up. If I cant ID a tree from its bark it is my own stupid fault I should pay more attention to trees. Most of the life cycle happens under the bark and damaging the root network would stop it fruiting.

There is a website called shrooms.org. the forum members have allot of experiance of farming fungi. Please double check any advice, there is alot of misinformation on that paticular website. It is very !!! If you see what I mean, man!!

 

[Singeblister]

I have just got round to doing the spore test , so we shall see what that tells , on walking out of my shed I spotted another log with jews ears growing on it my place is turning into a mushroom farm.