Common name: bulbous honey fungus.
Extract from Wikipedia article: Armillaria gallica (synonymous with A. bulbosa and A. lutea) is a species of honey mushroom in the family Physalacriaceae of the order Agaricales. The species is a common and ecologically important wood-decay fungus that can live as a saprobe, or as an opportunistic parasite in weakened tree hosts to cause root or butt rot. It is found in temperate regions of Asia, North America, and Europe. The species forms fruit bodies singly or in groups in soil or rotting wood. The fungus has been inadvertently introduced to South Africa. Armillaria gallica has had a confusing taxonomy, due in part to historical difficulties encountered in distinguishing between similar Armillaria species. The fungus received international attention in the early 1990s when an individual colony living in a Michigan forest was reported to cover an area of 15 hectares (37 acres), weigh at least 95 tonnes (95,000 kg; 210,000 lb), and be 1,500 years old. This individual is popularly known as the "humungous fungus", and is a tourist attraction and inspiration for an annual mushroom-themed festival in Crystal Falls. Recent studies have revised the fungus's age to 2,500 years and its size to about 400 tonnes (400,000 kg; 880,000 lb), four times the original estimate.
Arabic: أرميلاريا جاليكا, Chinese: 高盧蜜環菌, Hungarian: Gumós tuskógomba, Polish: Opieńka żółtawa, Russian: Опёнок толстоногий, Swedish: Klubbhonungsskivling.
Armillaria gallica is a species of honey mushroom that grows in clusters on the ground, typically in association with tree roots. In East and Central Texas, it fruits from September to November, often in oak-dominated woodlands. The cap is 2-6 cm in diameter, bell-shaped to convex, and ranges in color from golden brown to dark brown, with a sticky to dry texture. The gills are crowded, free, and white to light yellow. The stem is 3-8 cm long, 0.5-1.5 cm thick, and has a white to light brown ring that may disappear with age. Armillaria gallica is a mycorrhizal fungus that forms symbiotic relationships with various tree species in the region.
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) found on the ground on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville. Texas, December 16, 2018
Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) under a tree root on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville. Texas, December 16, 2018Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Side view of bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) on Caney Creek section of Lone Star Hiking Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville. Texas, December 16, 2018Lone Star Hiking Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, December 18, 2018Raccoon Run, College Station, TX 77845, USA
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, December 1, 2019Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) on Winters Bayou Trail in Sam Houston National Forest. Cleveland, Texas, December 7, 2019Lone Star Hiking Trail, Cleveland, TX 77328, USA
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, January 1, 2021Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Side view of bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, January 1, 2021Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Underside of bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, January 1, 2021Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery, TX 77356, USA
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, January 3, 202114802 Rock Prairie Rd, College Station, TX 77845, USA
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) on Sand Branch Loop Trail in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, December 5, 2021Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, 77873, United States
Bulbous honey fungus (Armillaria gallica) on Caney Creek Trail (Little Lake Creek Loop Trail) in Sam Houston National Forest north from Montgomery. Texas, December 12, 2021Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, 77873, United States
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) at the base of a stump in Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, February 22, 2022Racoon Run Trail, College Station, Brazos County, Texas, United States
Spores of honey mushrooms Armillaria gallica from Lick Creek Park. College Station, Texas, February 22, 2022
Bulbous honey fungus (Armillaria gallica) on Stubblefield section of Lone Star hiking trail north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, December 31, 2023Lone Star Hiking Trail, Walker County, Texas, United States
Spores of bulbous honey fungus (Armillaria gallica) collected north from Trailhead No. 6 in Sam Houston National Forest. Texas, December 31, 2023
Mature bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Richards. Texas, January 1, 2024Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, 77873, United States
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, January 1, 2024Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, 77873, United States
Bulbous honey mushrooms (Armillaria gallica) in wet area on South Wilderness Loop Trail at Little Lake Creek Wilderness in Sam Houston National Forest near Montgomery. Texas, January 1, 2024Little Lake Creek Loop Trail, Montgomery County, Texas, 77873, United StatesObservations of Armillaria gallica in East and Central Texas reveal the fungus grows in various locations, including under tree roots, on the ground, and at the base of stumps. It has been found in multiple areas, such as Sam Houston National Forest near Huntsville and Montgomery, Lick Creek Park in College Station, and Little Lake Creek Wilderness. The fungus typically appears in December and January, with some sightings as early as November and as late as February. It often grows in clusters, with bulbous caps and white gills on the underside. Spores have been collected from the mushrooms, confirming their identity as Armillaria gallica. The fungus seems to thrive in wet areas, such as near creeks and in low-lying regions, suggesting a preference for moist environments.
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