You might note the resemblance of this fungus to coral, and that's reflected in the common name assigned to the group, the coral fungi. I took this photograph at the end of October last year in the stunning MacMillan Provincial Park (often known as Cathedral Grove) on Vancouver Island. I don't have a lens that lets me take photos of tall trees that I'm happy with, so despite being surrounded by giants, I took many photos of the small things.
You can read more about yellow pitted rot on the Natural Resources Canada site (that'd be the common name used by those who see this fungus as a disease), or get a slightly different perspective on fungi in the genus Hericium from Tom Vogt's Mushroom of the Month at the University of Wisconsin. Selected quote from the latter site: "As a bonus, it's quite delicious, with a taste reminiscent of lobster if it's properly prepared."
Hi Daniel -
You are really VERY GOOD with your mushroom id;s! Because of your location (Vancouver) you
will come across many more mushroom species than
I do here in MD.
By the way - it should be Tom Volk's "Mushroom
of the Month." He is hosting this year's NAMA
foray in Madison, Wisconsin.
Lance
Lance - thanks, I've made the change. I actually have a good set of fungus pics for the Photo of the Day from that trip and others, but they're being reserved until the winter months when tracking down flowers is going to be a bit more difficult.