Honey Mushroom (Armillaria mellea)

After recent rain, I found this beautiful cluster of mushrooms on the path on the ledge by the creek just past the pond. I almost missed them. I did miss them on the way down but saw them on the return walk. They were quite well camouflaged against the carpet of fallen leaves. I think they are Armillaria mellea. The caps were tan with scales that were concentrated at the center. I didn’t disturb them to determine if they had rings. The stems of individual mushrooms nearby had a ring and were hairy below the ring.

The cluster at an oblique angle from a distance…

The cluster at an oblique angle close up…

A close-up of the cluster from directly above…

Close-up of one of the mushrooms in the cluster…
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Identification resource:
- Mushroom Expert: Armillaria mellea
- Flora and Faura of the Mid-Atlantic States: Mushrooms (Armillariella mellea)

Related post:
- Woods In The Fall