I had an unsatisfying photo outing at Pocahontas State Park. I waited too long and the sun was casting a pretty harsh light; the leaves are just starting to lose their lush greens, but aren't yet turning, so they just look kind of ratty; no wildlife graced me with their presence. Unsatisfying, that is, until I was driving out of the park, when just past the entry station, I saw this enormous patch of very large, very orange mushrooms.
I turned around, re-entered the park, parked just past the entry station and walked back to marvel at what had to be 7-10 pounds of mushrooms, in 3 separate clumps. This particular cluster is about 18 inches / 45 cm across. The individual 'shroom on the left with the prominent stalk is about 5 inches / 13 cm tall.
These are eastern jack o'lantern mushrooms (Omphalotus illudens). It's easy to see where they get their name. I spoke with one of the park rangers about them and she said that the gills give off a faint bioluminescent glow at night. Since the park closes at dusk, I'm just going to have to take her word for it.
