A jewel of nature

In recent years I have been taking closer notice of mushrooms I come across in the woods. Different kinds appear from season to season, much like individual kinds of wildflowers have their favored season.

The mushroom I show you here is a rare one for me. And gauging from the very limited information I was able to find on it, it must be fairly uncommon. A mushroom expert at Missouri Mycology Society assured me it is named panus lecumti.

I found this mushroom growing all alone on the top side of a dead hickory log on Dec. 29, 2019. It looked like a tiny, 3-inch tall chalice with a fuzzy rim.