A Western Jumbo Gym (Gymnopilus ventricosus) mushroom was found in Golden Gate Park recently.

Photo by Parke Lewis-DeWeese (Parke Curtis)

San Francisco Recreation and Park Department Natural Resource Manager Lisa Wayne said the mushroom was found near Metsen Lake in Golden Gate Park on pine stumps in a reforestation plot. According to Wayne, they are common in wooded areas on pine stumps and wood chips. The Western Jumbo Gym is one of the largest mushrooms – it can grow to be a foot in diameter.

For more information, follow this link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnopilus_junonius