Fungi in Colorado

This mushroom is the Campestris species of Agaricus, which is commonly found in the lawns in Colorado Springs during damp summers. They are edible. It is also known as the Meadow Mushroom, or Pink Bottom.

Kingdom: Fungi
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Family: Agaricaceae
Genus: Agaricus
Species: Campestris

www.coloradomushrooms.com/mushroom.php?id=8


Another one. 14 July 2009 in Colorado Springs, CO.
Another one. Pictures taken 28 August 2011 in Colorado Springs, CO. This one was 3.5 inches in diameter. Before I took the picture of the bottom, there were some white pieces of covering stuck to the bottom. If the covering had originally been over the entire bottom, it would have looked exactly like the Common Mushroom, below. So, maybe my identification is not correct.


A close relative of the Agaricus Capestris above is this Agaricus bisporus, commonly known by many names, but mostly Common Mushroom, button mushroom, white mushroom, table mushroom, portobello mushroom, crimini mushroom, or cultivated mushroom. This was in an overgrown lawn on 7 June 2009 in Colorado Springs.

But I think that when the white covering on the bottom drops off, it will look exactly like the Meadow Mushroom above. So, I'm not sure of this identification.

Genus: Agaricus
Species: A. bisporus


A Puff Ball. Probably a Calvatia Booniana (Western Giant Puffball), although this one was less than 3 inches across, not really a giant. This one was beat up in a hail storm, and some neighborhood dogs. Plus, it has matured, so it is no longer edible.
Found 1 August 2008 in El Paso Co., CO. Low to the ground, and about 2.5" across. Still unidentified.
Found 17 May 2009 at the Fountain Creek Nature Center, Fountain Colorado. About 2" across. The second picture shows another one close by, and appeared to have been broken and in two pieces. This appears to be the Calvatia booniana, (Western Giant Puffball) since it matches the pictures found at http://www.coloradomushrooms.com/mushroom.php?id=14 .
Unknown fungi. Small, about 1/2" in diameter, and somewhat red in color. Found in May 2009 in the back yard of 373 Kenwood Circle, Colorado Springs.

The second picture was taken by Alyssa Erickson on a hiking trail on 8 August 2009.


Unknown mushrooms. Found at the Monument Valley Park, in Colorado Springs CO on 16 October 2010. The bulbs are about 1" in diameter. Identification has not been made yet. Same as above?
Unknown fungi. Small, up to 1" in diameter, and somewhat beige in color. Found in June 2009 in the back yard of 4728 Frost Drive, Colorado Springs.
These are patches of Lichens, found in Teller county, Colorado in the mountains NorthWest of Cripple Creek on 25 October 2011. Both were on the same large rock. Identification is not certain, but they have a strong resemblence to photos of genus Heterodermia, and maybe species echinata.

Lichens are unusual in that they are always a symbiosis of at least two quite different organisms, according to Wikipedia at simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichen. One organism is always a fungus, and there will also be a green algae and/or a cyanobacterium.

Kingdom: Fungi
Division: Ascomycota
Class: Lecanoromycetes
Order: Teloschistales
Family: Physciaceae
Genus: Heterodermia


Unknown fungi. Found by Alyssa Erickson in August 2013, El Paso county CO.
Not identified yet.

Unknown fungi. Found by Alyssa Erickson in August 2013, El Paso county CO.
Not identified yet.
Unknown fungi. Found by Alyssa Erickson in August 2013, El Paso county CO.
Not identified yet.
Unknown fungi. Found by Alyssa Erickson in August 2013, El Paso county CO.
Not identified yet.

Unknown fungi. Found by Alyssa Erickson in August 2013, El Paso county CO.
Not identified yet.