"Bushman's Bread" mushroom and sclerotium

[Statakak]

Hi,

I came across these fungi a while back, I think they are probably the edible fungi known as "bushman's bread/blackfellow's bread" which is Laccocephalum mylittae as far as I can tell.

I have come accross them on a few occasions but I don't know a real lot about mycology have been having a hard time really finding out much info on them.

Would love to try to eat one but I'm too scared untill I get a reliable ID.

A few problems with ID :

1. - the sclerotium of those which I have found shows distinct, healed crack like features across the surface penetrating in to different depths, whereas the pictures on the internet show a relatively smooth surface.

2. - distribution maps show them to be located in temperate zones, whereas I'm located in Nth tropical east coast.

So just wondering dose anybody had any experience ID'ing these things?

Also Is there any Native fungi ID books that you would recommend, especially tropical?

And there must be places like herbariams for fungi where samples can be sent for IDs, dose anybody know the procedure for taking samples for ID, maybe spore print and photos, pressed samples, preserved in metho? OK maybe I'm being a bit lazy, I should be able to find this bit out for myself I suppose. but any advice would be great!

Photos

First three - a mushroom growing out of a sclerotium (sclerotium cant be seen in photo but I dug around and uncovered the top when I was taking the photos) also I've seen the same type of mushroom growing from a sclerotium I found and left under a tree.

Second two - two sclerotium (one in first pic and two in second sitting undisturbed in the soil with the top surfaces exposed.

Cheers!

[Leaves]

Can't help you with you pics but I have heard of Chicken of the woods (Laetiporus sulphureus)showing up growing out of Gum trees reported in Nth QLD. Also you can find Auricularia cornea (Wood ear) & Cloud ear fungus, puffballs including Vascellum pratense that are white all the way through when cut open. Beefsteak fungus (Fistulina hepatica). Inkcaps (no booze with these) & P.cubensis/P.cyan

Edited July 28, 2013 by Leaves

[Bountiful]

Hi

I also live on the north tropical east coast and am interested in samples (prints or tissue samples) of native fungi, particularly edibles. I just got all the equipment needed for agar work and want to try grow natives.

I have no idea about procedures to get yours ID'ed. I just know there are big knowledge gaps in Australia and probably few people can help you. However if you sucessfully identify native edibles I am interested in samples of the specimens. I have things for trade or can even send you a petri dish of the cloned fungi (if successful). Good luck!