I recently made my first-ever find of a beautiful fungus called Hohenbuehelia petaloides on a dolerite ridge adjoining the junction of Granite and Narrakine South roads. Despite much searching there was only one specimen that had grown from an underground rotting branch or a root.
It is an oyster fungus with gills that run down the stalk (decurrent) and has white spores. Most images on the web show a pale cap.
![Picture](/uploads/5/4/9/1/54919621/editor/00-hohenbuehlia-5.jpg?1625382479)
- It is named after an Austrian aristocrat: Ludwig Samuel Joseph David Alexander Freiherr von Hohenbühel Heufler zu Rasen und Perdonegg. Try saying that after a few beers? or even before!
- It has a novel way of obtaining nitrogen, which is lacking in wood: Sticky ends on the hyphae, trap nematodes in the soil to harvest their protein.
- I reckon that it resembles a wood fungus I use in my stir fries. Hang on, that has a different name and pores not gills! another poisoning averted :).
![Picture](/uploads/5/4/9/1/54919621/published/00-hohenbuehlia-4.jpg?1625382667)