Budding young mycologist visits Ijams

Sofia Tomov is special. She's one of those 8 1/2-year-olds, who is smart and ebullient and mature beyond her years. Her curosity abounds. She loves nature. Whenever she visits Ijams, you know that there is a big smile exploring the premises.

I saw Sofia and her mother Beverly at last week's HummerFest and she showed me what she has been into recently. She's become a budding young mycologist. At a UT Fungi Camp this summer, Sofia visited the Ijams Discovery Trail. Here is some of what she discovered.

Sofia emailed, "Ijams is my favorite place in Knoxville, and provides amazing opportunities for viewing flora, fauna and fungi. This has been an excellent summer for fungi in particular.

Amanita muscaria by Sofia

Amanita muscaria normally has small white bumps on the cap in the early and middle stage. In this picture, you can tell that the mushroom is in a late stage because the gills are turned up and you don't see the white bumps. Amanita muscaria is poisonous, just like almost all species in the Amanita genus (most famously, the Destroying Angel, Amanita virosa.)

 

Coprinus comatus by Sofia

 Coprinus comatus is also known as the "lawyer's wig" or "shaggy mane"mushroom, and I think it looks like a sheepdog's head. It's not considered poisonous, but it's never a good idea to eat any mushrooms in the wild. Coprinus comatus doesn't spread out its cap when releasing spores.

Cyathus sp. by Sofia

 Cyathus is a genus of birds' nest fungus. The egg-like structures are actually attached to the cup by a tiny thread, and contain spores. In the early stage, Cyathus looks like a tiny orange club.

Fomes fomentarius by Sofia

Fomes fomentarius is also known as 'hoof fungus," "tinder conk," or "Ice Man fungus," because the 5000 year old Otzi the Ice Man was found carrying four pieces of this fungus."

Thank you, Sofia for sharing your finds.

- Story by Stephen Lyn Bales and Sofia