FABULOUS FUNGI
Story and Photos by Jesse Roberts
The south west of Western Australia
has a huge variety of wild life. The mammals and
birds of Australia are world famous, but there are
also much smaller, and at first less obvious, forms
of life that are just as amazing.
| One of these very interesting
smaller life forms are the fungi. They are
an unusual form of 'plant'. In the colder
months of the year you may find little mushrooms
springing through your lawn or growing in
your garden. (Even if you find a fungus that
looks like and edible mushroom, don't eat
it, many varieties are poisonous.)
These little lawn and garden mushrooms
are just a beginning. If you went for a
walk in native bush in winter you would
probably notice how green everything was,
maybe how cold it was, probably some birds
and just how pleasant it was just being
there. But would you notice any fungi? If
you kept your eyes open, you would no doubt
find quite a few different types of fungi
among the leaf litter, logs and rocks.
|
|
Taken in Mumballup, with
Pentax MZ 50, Kodak ISO 100 Film.
|
Taken in Yabberup, with Pentax
MV, Agfa ISO 100 Film. |
|
There are many types of fungi,
not all mushroom shape, in an array of colours.
Shades of brown, yellow, purple and orange.
The closer you look the more fascinating
and different each one seems.
Take a walk during winter through one
of the south west's many unique bush or
forest regions. You will reveal to yourself
some of these small, but often spectacular
plants, as well as some of the other wonders
of this great land.
|
All of these photos were taken very
close to where I live. You do not have to be away
from civilization to find specimens like these.
A fungus anywhere, (even in Coles) will be not quite
be like any other.
Taken in Mumballup, with
Pentax MZ 50, Kodak ISO 100 film. |
Taken in Mumballup, with
Pentax MZ 50, Kodak ISO 100 Film. |
July 2002
