Most people consider mushrooms to be the small, ugly cousins of the plant kingdom, but theirs is a surprisingly beautiful and wonderful world waiting to be explored. These beautiful mushrooms, captured by enthusiastic nature photographers, are a far cry from the ones you find in the woods or your local grocery store.

Most mushrooms, as we know them, are actually just the reproductive structure of the fungus they belong to – their fungal networks expand far further underground, and some fungi don't even sprout the sort of mushrooms that we're used to seeing. In fact, depending on your definition of “organism,” the largest living organism in the world is a fungus – there's a honey mushroom colony in Oregon that occupies about 2,000 acres of land!

#1

Puffballs

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HollyMason
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9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I stepped on one last week in sandals! The cold yellow powder spraying on my foot definitely made me a little more cautious walking around!

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#8

Panus Fasciatus

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NancyGooch
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9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These all remind me of Disney's Fantasia. Ethereal and beautiful!

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#22

Puffball Mushroom

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VesselinaMartinova
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9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Very handy mushroom. If you pit it on a bleeding wound it stops the bleeding with an antiseptic effect.

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#23

Crepidotus

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KristenHz
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9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am beginning to think that mushrooms are the equivalent of sea anemones on land.

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#27

Amanita Muscaria

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Anejo Conejo
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9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They believe that people ate magic mushrooms and thought these were what is now 'Santa Claus' and that reindeer could fly.

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#28

Cup Fungi

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KristenHz
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9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in a row.

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#29

Laccaria Amethystina

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#37

Panaleous Sphinctrinus

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Kyle Eaton
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8 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Such simple mushrooms, but its the background that really catches the eye.

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#39

Clavaria Zollingeri

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#41

Oudemansiella Mucida

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#47

Stemonitis Axifera

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atagonist
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9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is actually a slime mold, related to amoeba rather than to fungi. They're pretty crazy organisms.

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#48

Xylaria Hypoxylon

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Annie Doneva
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9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's a damn great shot !!!! About the mushroom - no words needed....

#50

Clavaria Zollingeri

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LeeHwang
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9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

some of these are utterly creepy. But so beautiful to look at *0*

#53

Bay Bolete

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AnnieDoneva
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9 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stoenescu, all your photographs are so beautiful. And every time I see one I can tell that it's yours, without seeing your name under it.

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#56

Marasmius Rotula

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#57

Cookeina Tricholoma

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