Big Scaly Mountain is just outside Highlands, NC. My favorite hike hike leader, Doris Gove is leading us today. The route is a short one but it is uphill to the top of the mountain and then we retrace back to the cars.
We spotted many mushrooms on this walk. The one above is Salmon Unicorn Entoloma. I hope my Mycology friend Christine is watching and keeping me straight on these. Below we have a Black trumpet chanterelle.
Above is Caesar's Mushroom. It was a great day for colorful mushroom species. There was one overlook which had a great patch of white bee balm, one of my favorites.
Here we are at the top of the mountain. The trail continues but it is our turn around spot. This is the Bartram Trail and it is wet right now. We are looking south to Georgia here.
The one rare plant Doris pointed out, Roundleaf Sundew is hidden in the moss above. It is a carnivorous plant which produces a sticky mucilage which catches insects attracted to it. An enzyme dissolves the insect so the plant can extract ammonia from its proteins. It is hard to spot. In the photo above it is the reddish plant in the moss.
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