Logo Explorations along Upper Bell Creek: June-July 2018
Southern Nantahala Wilderness Area
All Text & Images:
Copyright (2018)


Various finds from several summer treks in the Upper Bell Creek vicinity of the Wilderness Area...

Late June 2018:


Skullcap
Skullcap   (Scutellaria sp.)


Indian_Pipes
Indian Pipes, aka Ghost Flowers (Monotropa uniflora)



I saw a nice variety of Coral Fungi (clavarioid) in the woods:

Coral_fungi
Clavariaceae


Coral_fungi
Clavariaceae


Coral_fungi
Crown-tipped Coral (Artomyces pyxidatus)


Coral_fungi
Clavariaceae



There were also lots of other mushrooms - fungi:

Mushroom
Button mushroom


Mushroom
Unidentified


Small_mushrooms
A small Cup Fungi (left) and a Black Trumpet (Craterellus fallax)


Boletus
Orange Bolete(?)


fungi
Fresh Bracket fungi on rotted log
Perhaps Trametes pubescens...



mushroom
Unidentified mushroom


Waxcap
Emerging Waxcap (Hygrocybe sp.)?


Waxcap
Another with a cricket hiding underneath...


Mushroom_pair
Pair of unidentified mushrooms


Parmotrema_lichen
Perforated Ruffle (Parmotrema perforatum) lichen and broken Chanterelle



Mid July:

Green_Wood_Orchid
Green Woodland Orchids, aka Club-spur Orchids (Platanthera clavellata)
I saw a number of these along the creek, but most were still in bud.



Black_Trumpets
More Black Trumpets, although this patch was pretty much gone by...




Rat_Snake

Black Rat Snake   (Pantherophis spiloides)


Rat_Snake



Rat_Snake
I think it wanted me to rub its chin...



I came across some weird fungi that looked like embryos of an alien creature.
A three-week progression of photos follows:


Alien_Fungi
Gelatinous-covered fungi...

Alien_fungi
Three days later, some of the coverings were cracking open...
I later found out that these were a Calostoma species...


Alien_Fungi
Seven days after the first photo...

Alien_Fungi
Fourteen days after the first photo...
The coatings had disintegrated, and the two on the left are showing yellow puffballs.


Alien_Fungi
Final image - twenty days after the first photo...
Looks like something got into them...




There were also a number of other Calostoma in the vicinity:

Calostoma
Pair of Calostoma sp.

Calostoma
A week later...

Calostoma
Two weeks after the first image...
I think this is Calostoma cinnabarinum.




A few examples of another orchid seen in July:

Goodyera_pubescens

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain Orchid   (Goodyera pubescens)


Goodyera_pubescens



Goodyera_pubescens



Goodyera_pubescens




By late July, the Woodland Orchids were fully in bloom:

Woodland_orchid



Woodland_orchid
Green Woodland Orchids   (Platanthera clavellata)


Woodland_orchid



Woodland_orchid




July 30:

Agrimony
Downy Agrimony   (Agrimonia pubescens)



Bell Crk 2018 Index Wildflower Index
S. Nantahala Index Hiawassee Index