The common name of the fungus pictured is yellow brain, due to the convoluted mass of golden-yellow when younger. At that stage it is moist, soft and gelatinous.
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As it matures and dries, this stemless fungus becomes firmer in texture and its colour changes to orange.
Today’s photo shows an older specimen, now turned bright orange.
This one was six or seven centimetres wide and three centimetres deep, with a rubbery texture.
It was photographed last weekend in a forest near Clunes.
The entire unusual brain-like outer surface of lobes and folds carries the spores of this fungus, in a very different manner from the gills of many other fungi.
Yellow brain is an unmistakable fungus, despite its variation in colour.
It is widespread and common in timbered places in the Ballarat region.
It grows on dead branches, trunks and logs of both native and exotic trees.
MORE EAGLES
We mentioned a couple of months ago a pair of nesting wedge-tailed eagles, saying that this species usually has a couple of nests in a territory, using each for various periods and alternating from time to time.
In the mail has come a response and information from a former western Victorian farmer, whose long- term experience near Harrow proves that some pairs use the same nest every year.
Mr John Mitchell writes; “The property I ran was originally bought by my grandparents in 1915.
“On the property was a nesting pair of wedge-tailed eagles. As far as I know a pair of eagles has used this nest ever since.
“They used this nest all the time I ran the land up until about 1980.
“The tree that the nest was built in I think would have been well established when the first fleet arrived in New South Wales.
“I have no idea how long the nest was used prior to my grandparents’ purchase, but I have no reason to doubt it is still being used. It would have to be at least 100 years. All the time I was involved the eagles never interfered with our livestock.”
Both the tree and the nest mentioned by Mr Mitchell would be worth seeing.
It is pleasing to note that the eagles were no problem with the livestock over that long period.
Wedge-tailed eagles are thought to live for 20 to 25 years.
It would be interesting to know how many different eagles have occupied the nest over the years.
Roger Thomas can be contacted by writing to The Courier at PO Box 21, Ballarat, 3353, or by emailing rthomas@vic.australis.com.au.
