Turkey Tail 1

As a photographer I become more and more fascinated with the wild variety of mushrooms which are the wildflowers of the woods or the mushrooms in our midst. In fact, this series of Turkey Tails shows such variety in shadings and rings, the monochrome versions shown here are individual in their appearance. In fact, just as the tree's rings within its wood shows the age of the tree, so the rings of this particular shelf mushroom show age. You want them on your deadwood to break down the debris of the woods, and, more recently, Turkey Tails or shelf mushrooms are helping treat patients undergoing chemotherapy for cancer. They are quite common as a variety, but within that variety the shadings and how they array themselves, as shown in these images, for a stylish appearance are very individualistic.