Color in mushrooms

[Swede]

Yesterday while hiking the Welcome Lakes trail I came across these big boys.



The larger one is about the size of a salad plate. I couldn't tell you if these are mushrooms, toadstools, or if there is even a difference. My question is about the reddish-orangish color on the top of these things. Does color play some role in nature's scheme for the survival of this and similar species? I saw a lot of different types of fungi popping up from the forest floor along this forested trail yesterday, but most were colorless or close to it. Why do a few fungi display comparatively bright colors? Does it somehow help them to spread and reproduce and otherwise survive as a species?

I know, it's not really a hiking question, but maybe there's a biologist or mycologist in this group who might be willing to answer this. Understanding what we see along the trail is a part of the pleasure of hiking, isn't it?

[cfm]

Hi Swede,

What a lovely display. I also like the contrast with the yellowing Vanilla Leaf. Those mushrooms look like boletes. I think the term toadstool vs. mushroom is archaic. Those fine specimens are a definitive and proud member of the Fungi kingdom-probably of the genus Boletus. Most boletes are considered edible. Their distinctive feature is the spongy underside( instead of gills).

Perhaps an adaptive rationale for their attractive color is to invite browsing bythe forest omnivores in order to help spread the spores?

I'm collecting up your way this weekend, hope i can report back on some more mycological gems.

JT the cfm

[Swede]

Thanks, cfm, for your ID. I was able to find a lot of websites with more details on this species, and I now realize how much I don't know about mushrooms. I've always been intrigued by the things that I see popping up out of the forest floor, but it took something dramatic like these guys to make me want to try to find out more. Maybe their red color is just nature's way of getting our attention...

[Cattrapper]

If you want to learn more about the wide variety of mushrooms found locally, I highly recommend you check out the Fall Mushroom Show but on by the Oregon Mycological Societies tommorrow at the forestry center. You won't believe your eyes!

More info here, http://www.wildmushrooms.org/frames/oms_fallshow.htm