Reishi Mushroom, Ganoderma lucidum

Used as a herbal remedy for thousands of years in China and Japan, this shelf mushroom plays an important role in forest ecology by breaking down dead wood. This specimen is about 1" across.

This is the first blog post taken with my new Canon 7D - what a camera!!

Smith's fairybell, Disporum smithii

This flower is similar in appearance to Hooker's fairybell shown in my May 1, 2009 blog entry. The main distinguishing feature is that Smith's petals flare only slightly at the tip.

Jelly Fungus, Dacrymyces palmatus

This odd looking fungus growing on a Douglas Fir tree trunk looks vaguely reminiscent of of corn kernels:

Another clump was residing elsewhere on the same tree trunk:

Fireweed, Epilobium angustifolium

Fireweed is found throughout North America and spreads via seeds and rhizomes. It can grow to approximately 8 feet with striking flower spikes at the end of straight unbranched stems.

Trailing Blackberry, Rubus ursinus

The only native blackberry in the NorthWest, Trailing Blackberry grows close to the ground and produces excellent tasting berries in the Summer.