August 2023
Back in Chiang Mai for the last stretch of my journey through Northern Thailand, I discovered the charm of the Monk's Trail. This path, a stone's throw away from Chiang Mai University, is more than just a popular hiking route; it's a walk through history. Traditionally used by monks to reach Wat Pha Lat, every step on this trail unveiled unique growth.
![green capped Austroboletus](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F769b1803-0e5c-4348-99f1-eb439b3ffe8e_5182x3886.jpeg)
![green capped Austroboletus](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F237e7b5e-bceb-44ce-ab1a-420da390a74e_5182x3886.jpeg)
One of my first encounters was an olive-green Austroboletus species of mushroom with an interesting, reticulated stipe.
![red staining bolete](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb0aa19f1-b210-45d4-839e-5f7fac05aa46_5182x3886.jpeg)
![red staining bolete](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F42d14c43-0bc0-454d-abee-c8ac2df3b44e_5182x3886.jpeg)
![red staining bolete](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F97287823-e0a5-411b-899a-cf4edc2278cd_5182x3886.jpeg)
![red staining bolete](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe3cb17db-b28e-4fb1-8aa0-97b241fad40d_5182x3886.jpeg)
I encountered staining boletes, that left vibrant blood-red and black marks on my fingers. Much like the red-staining Sanguinoderma rugosum stalked brackets. And following the theme of color-changing mushrooms, I found a blue-bruising Phylloporus, as well.
All growth stages of Scaly Tangerine mushrooms were spotted along the way.
![scaly tangerine mushroom](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F41977e85-6ae2-42a0-8964-27f6cab508dd_5182x3886.jpeg)
![scaly tangerine mushroom](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F892927a0-b206-4b8b-a539-f87adcd3f3b6_5182x3886.jpeg)
![scaly tangerine mushroom](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa6334318-44c9-45b4-b109-18ef0ce69ad6_5182x3886.jpeg)
And plenty of bioluminescent Luminous Porecaps.
![glow in the dark Filoboletus manipularis](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F95362ef0-2b23-4991-b0fe-8321af94ce8c_5184x3888.jpeg)
![glow in the dark Filoboletus manipularis](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe9c9bd5e-0c33-4b8d-8c38-770817d9fe2b_5184x3888.jpeg)
These ones in particular only glowed in their stems – abruptly stopping where they were bent or damaged.
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6fa7884e-927d-49d9-bf56-1cb356792614_5182x3886.jpeg)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1f332ae1-d897-4318-92e2-5352709c7ac0_5182x3886.jpeg)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb6eeb1d7-c980-4101-b34c-6b108282d90c_5182x3886.jpeg)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F70884442-c631-4224-abc3-a7e9ee04eb84_5182x3886.jpeg)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4e7d888e-d3d1-495d-8d68-2a7d9966e589_4188x3141.jpeg)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F354f4d99-15e4-493e-bf3a-ee0f64b5af32_5182x3886.jpeg)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1b0fd282-fded-483f-9524-ed5a7465ecb6_5182x3884.jpeg)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2724e28d-bb54-47df-a505-61d470c6e391_5182x3886.jpeg)
![](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fafee3aaa-9205-48ef-a001-0debdd1e5b8f_5182x3886.jpeg)
I also stumbled upon viscid Scalycaps (Pholiota sp.), petite Earthstars (Geastrum sp.), and a small, strikingly purple Xanthagaricus ianthinus. Not to forget a velvety, ruby-colored Tylopilus sp. and a massive Boletellus sp. that revealed a surprising blue bruising.
The journey culminated with reaching Wat Pha Lat, offering a rewarding view of Chiang Mai.
To cap off the trip, my birthday coincided with a visit to the Huay Kaew Waterfall. There, among the serene sounds of flowing water, I came across a fascinating variety of mushrooms: a peculiar stinkhorn (Phallus indusiatus), a delicate pink Mycena, and even locals skillfully foraging Termitomyces, Macrolepiota, and Russula sp.
![local Thai collecting mushrooms](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4b24f2f2-4df9-4ff3-ae1d-d6cad012cfe0_4032x3024.jpeg)
![local Thai collecting mushrooms](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_720,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F223d9d3e-cdf9-4b46-8bac-e8b2ac33f90e_4032x3024.jpeg)
UPDATE: Exciting news from the University of Chiang Mai. A recent publication has unveiled the formal description of a couple new Russula species. Although these mushrooms were familiar to locals for their edibility, they had not been officially named until now.
I reckon that the specimens collected most closely resemble Russula sribuabanensis.
![pink Mycena mushrooms](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7f6d7c0-9358-4182-8f14-de97e06c4f58_2915x3886.jpeg)
![pink Mycena mushrooms](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fbf96b239-e8d7-4a03-81c9-47a628c3e583_1820x2427.jpeg)
![pink Mycena mushrooms](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_474,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff0ad2d7a-a8f2-4bc9-bbc6-d0b903e0e9c6_1088x1451.jpeg)
As my adventure in Northern Thailand comes to a close, I find myself eager to return. The rich biodiversity and untapped mysteries of the region during the rainy season beckon me for future explorations.
Monsoon Mushrooms: Two-Wheeled Adventures in Northern Thailand - Part III