Beyond Peak Season: Crusts and Teeth at Lake Rotoiti
Even after New Zealand’s peak mushroom season, Kerr Bay reveals surprises — rare tea-tree fingers, scarlet crust fungi, a carrot stick, and an unexpected ear-pick fungus.
I celebrated my birthday last week at the Kerr Bay campground in St. Arnaud, New Zealand (a regular stomping ground over the past few months). It's only an hour's drive southwest along the Wairau River from Blenheim.
Spring has arrived and that means the end of the peak mushroom season. There aren't many mushrooms out right now, and many mycophiles feel a little down when the large flushes disappear. I view it as a sign that I should slow down and pay more attention. There are still treasures to find in the forest, even when it appears barren.
One of those treasures was the endangered tea-tree fingers I spotted for the first time last month. They’re still holding on, which is a good sign that the season always leaves something behind.
I also found a very interesting crust fungus called Byssomerulius psittacinus. This corticioid species doesn't look like a typical mushroom. Instead, it spreads across dead beech wood (Nothofagus) in a thin scarlet/purple layer, almost like someone painted it.
I thought I found a huge carrot while walking the Peninsula Track (talk about a true carrot-and-stick situation), it turned out to be Australovuilleminia coccinea.
This species is very interesting because it is the only one of its kind (the only species in the genus), was described in 2010, and is only found in New Zealand. It grows as a thin orange crust that covers the inside of a branch.
Lastly, I found a lone Auriscalpium umbella that seemed a little rough around the edges. This tooth fungus, which is also known to be called the ear-pick fungus, isn't common for me to find here. I've seen it more often in South Korea, especially on Jeju Island, where it grows off pine cones. It felt like a modest gift at the end of the season.
These observations remind me that fungi aren't just about how many there are; they're also about how long they last, how surprising they are, and how important it is to pay attention to the little things.
Your article is such a delight! I love learning brand new things and every bit of this post was brand new to 76 yo me! Thank you
Happy birthday. Just moving into spring. Thank goodness. Although I recall you saying it was a warm winter over there. Long and very cold and damp and windy over here. Until today. A glimpse of spring. Yay!