I was out for a walk today and noticed a branch with mushrooms all over it. There were actually two different mushroom varieties on it, so I brought it home to check them out. When I showed my husband, he said they were probably poisonous. Ha! We basically know nothing about mushrooms, but maybe now we know a little more.
The first thing I learned was that these are called "gills" and are used to identify the type of mushroom. This website can help you identify them, but I'm not sure if it worked with the ones I found here in Panama. Or I just don't know how to input the information!
I learned that the gills are what contain the spores of the mushrooms that help them reproduce. I am wondering how long these mushrooms have been on this long as there are quite a few of them, of different sizes. I don't know how long it takes to grow a new one, but I guess pretty quickly! For instance, when you mow and then two days later you have a crop of mushrooms where you just mowed!
Honestly, I think the gills are much more interesting looking than the caps! I think it would be interesting to see these under a microscope. I have saved the branch that I found these on in hopes of learning more about these mushrooms.
It's pretty amazing what you'll see if you stop to take the time to look around. I would have totally missed these today if I had not gone over to the neighbor's house and then walked back by the kids' play set.
I just wish I could find out some more about them...not so we can chop them up and stir fry them (unless they're delicious), but just so we can learn something else about the land we now live in. I have tried looking online but have not been able to find anything that looks like them.
If you noticed, there was an extra little mushroom in one picture that is quite unique (as there is only one)! Be sure and check back soon for pictures of it! I hope to find some more of these. I wonder if the kids found it and put it at the play ground or if that is where they were! I will have to ask!
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