As the light wanes as we approach the winter solstice, the orange peel fungus is a warm flare of color bursting out of the forest floor. When it first appears, its shape is round and cup-shaped. As it matures, it can become saucer-shaped, wavy, flattened, or irregularly contorted, resembling a discarded orange peel lying on the ground.
I found a little piece on the ground that had broken off and wondered where the spores were produced. As I bent down to take a closer look and take a photo, a puff of spores came off the surface. It was kind of cold out and at first, I thought I was seeing my breath. I went over to another one and the same thing happened. I realized that my breath triggered a release of spores. It reminded me of when you squeeze an orange peel and it releases a mist of oils.
In Mushrooms Demystified, David Arora writes this about its habitat, “Scattered to gregarious or in fused clusters on ground, fruiting mainly in the fall and winter in our area; widely distributed and very common. It seems to prefer bare soil or sand along roads, paths, landslides, etc., but also grows in grass or moss.” I found this patch growing in an open section of ground next to the trail where a tree had previously stood. The tree had fallen over during the ice storm and removing it left the area mostly bare with some wood chips and fallen debris from the trees.
I love it when a ray of sunlight coming through the forest illuminates this fungus's bright, orange-fruiting body. Nature is an inexhaustible source of wonder. I look forward to seeing you out there.
Resource
Arora, David. Mushrooms Demystified: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fleshy Fungi. 2nd ed, Ten Speed Press, 1986.
