September's Fungus of the Month is Tubaria punicea! This beautiful purplish red wood-decaying mushroom grows on stumps and in hollows of old Arbutus trees. With age, its colour fades somewhat to a reddish brown.

Tubaria punicea is rare and not yet well studied. We don't know much about its ecology or habits. We don't know if it is edible, we don't know if it is medicinal, if it is eaten by slugs, if it harms the Arbutus trees or helps by clearing away already-dead wood.

observation by caladri

It has been observed only 43 times on iNaturalist, but 9 of those observations were here on the Rock. Something in our stony hills and Arbutus-Fir forests is a home for Tubaria punicea. A little bit of Salt Spring Island's distinctiveness.

observation by caladri

Though it first shows up in September, it is visible until at least early January, so we all have time yet this year to catch a wine-coloured gleam in the hollow of an ancient Arbutus tree.