#pisolithus tinctorius

[fungusqueen]

Found this Dead Man’s Foot (Pisolithus tinctorius) post in my drafts. The fungus pictured here is associated with oak but the species can also be associated with eucalyptus. As a natural dye, the oak-associated fungus produces a dark-brown to black color whereas the eucalyptus-associated fungus produces orange-copper tones.

[stardusted-owl]

sorry mushroom that doesn’t look much like a mushroom, but you appear to be on some tulips so you gotta move

hmm doesn’t any look better from this side

common names for this lovely lump include dead man’s foot and dog turd fungus

[fungusqueen]

Pisolithus tinctorius

[fungusqueen]

I went on a 2 hour walk today and filled my backpack with Pisolithus tinctorius (aka Pisolithus arhizus). I found it associated with 2 different tree species!

[fungusqueen]

I’m storing the sliced Dead Man’s Foot for later natural dye use. It’ll ferment in this ziploc bag and become liquefied/softer for more convenient dye use

[fungusqueen]

I’ve found about 8 Dead Man’s Feet (Foots?) (Pisolithus tinctorius) in the past 2 days. I think I’m getting good at finding them. 8/8 times so far, they’ve been in poor exposed soil near a sidewalk AND a eucalyptus tree. The first photos are young Dead Man’s Feet, and the last photos are the mature version where they’ve dried and burst to reveal spores. This fungi is a great source of natural dye.

[fungusqueen]

Preparing different dye pots. From left to right clockwise, Pisolithus tinctorius, mint, cabbage, blueberry, yellow onion skins, and hibiscus flowers.

[fungusqueen]

i found about 10 pounds of Pisolithus tinctorius at school today near this weird row of Eucalyptus trees. I normally never walk by the area but I happened to be walking a different route today and my little heart leapt, there was just one after the other growing right along the sidewalk. I can’t wait to use them for more fiber dyeing.