A closer inspection shows it to be a Chicken of the Woods (Laetiporus sulfureus) mushroom-- a rare find at Peter Cooper Village. Maybe we have that awful smelling peat moss to thank! No flowers, but a nice mushroom.
Although it may have been fresh and whole when my friend found it earlier today, it now looks seriously nibbled on. The Chicken of the Woods is actually a great delicacy, one of the most delicious the wild mushrooms.
Update - August 12
There's also a Chicken of the Woods mushroom growing in Spunky's tree! You can see it just below her hole.
that looks like a hen of the woods (maitake) not a chicken of the woods
ReplyDeleteYou're right. Guess it was a case of wishful thinking on my part. The "hen of the woods" mushrooms that I've found in the past tended to be dark gray in color, and this mushroom was on the light side (especially the one in Spunky's tree). But I have to admit that it didn't have that yellow-salmon hue of a true chicken! Guess I was just fooling myself that it was a chicken with a dingy gray New York City tinge to it :)
ReplyDelete