Starting as I mean to continue, I braved the chill wind and annoying drizzle on New Year’s Day for a walk around one of my local parks and was rewarded with the sight of these lovely fungi Flammulina velutipes, otherwise known as Velvet shanks (due to their velvety lower stems).
They’re wood rotters, and it might surprise you to know that these are exactly the same fungi as the white Enoki (or Enokitake), much favoured by the Japanese and occasionally available in supermarkets in Britain and other countries. As they’re commercially grown in a dark environment Enoki are longer, smaller and very pale but the natural colour of the Velvet shank is the vibrant golden orange shown in my photos (flammulina means little flame).
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Interesting post and terrific photos. It will be a few months until mushrooms begin to appear again here. In the meantime I’m enjoying the ones you feature!
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Thanks, Belinda. It’s prime fungi time here so I hope to find lots more. 🙂
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Lovely shot Annie. They look so delicious you just want to pop a couple in your mouth for a little snack while out hiking. Ours have either been frozen out or bured under snow since early December. Have a great weekend and wish you and yours a healthy Happy New Year
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Thanks so much, Bill, and all the very best to you too for 2017!
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ooohhh, they’re so shiny! Fantastic photos!
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They’re very gloopy! Thanks a lot, Laura. 🙂
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Wonderful images, Annie! The Velvet Shank is such a bright and beautiful mushroom.
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Thanks, Pete, it sure is. Such a pretty sight at this often grey time of year. 🙂
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