No, an alien life form has not invaded the Baird Creek Parkway. These odd looking "pods" are actually the dried remains of the Pear-Shaped Puffball Mushroom. When they first appear they have a mottled white appearance but now, like nearly everything else in their surroundings, they have taken on the typical gold or brownish cast so prevalent throughout the forest in late Autumn. The mushrooms may no longer be living but they continue to do the job for which they were intended. Even a slight disturbance of one of the pods releases a little puff of spores through the hole at the top which is quickly carried away on the breeze...an action that, when witnessed, may indeed seem like something out of a bad alien invasion flick.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Day 320 > Pear-Shaped Puffball Mushrooms
No, an alien life form has not invaded the Baird Creek Parkway. These odd looking "pods" are actually the dried remains of the Pear-Shaped Puffball Mushroom. When they first appear they have a mottled white appearance but now, like nearly everything else in their surroundings, they have taken on the typical gold or brownish cast so prevalent throughout the forest in late Autumn. The mushrooms may no longer be living but they continue to do the job for which they were intended. Even a slight disturbance of one of the pods releases a little puff of spores through the hole at the top which is quickly carried away on the breeze...an action that, when witnessed, may indeed seem like something out of a bad alien invasion flick.
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you guys have a lot of weird looking mushrooms...
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