ORANGE PEEL FUNGUS

Some fungus names leave you scratching your head (Destroying Angel, Chicken of the Woods, Hairy Curtain Crust anyone?) but not this one. As Claire’s photos show, the resemblance is uncanny. Its distinctiveness means I feel relatively safe mentioning that it’s edible, but apparently its bland taste doesn’t match its vivid appearance. Recently cleared, stony forestry tracks are particularly good places to spot it.

Photo by Claire Blindell