Mushrooms of
Armillaria hinnulea, a species of
honey fungus (or "pidpenky", from
Ukrainian). Honey fungi are
parasitic fungi that live on trees and woody shrubs. As a forest
pathogen, it can be very destructive because unlike most parasites, it does not need to moderate its growth in order to avoid killing its host, since it will continue to thrive on the dead material. Honey fungi are long lived and form some of the
largest living organisms in the world, including one that covers more than 3.4 sq mi (8.8 km
2) and is thousands of years old. The mushrooms are
edible, but can be easily confused with
poisonous Galerina species, which can grow side-by-side with
Armillaria.
Photo: Noodle snacks