Identification: Brown, flat mushroom

Taken on Mayne Island
Over 50 of these mushrooms covered an area of 5x8 ft.
Flat on the ground.

 

Hi David, While many mushrooms that resemble this can be challenging and/or require more information to identify, you have provided enough detail on this one for me to get to genus.
This is an Armillaria, one of several species in this honey mushroom genus. Clustering habit narrows the possibilities. It has been a *very* fruitful season for this genus.

 

I am very happy to know what genus this mushroom belongs to.
I will find out more about Armillaria.
Thank you very much.

I took photos of over 100 different mushrooms during the week I was on Mayne Island.
Photographing mushrooms is not as easy as one thinks.
My back is still hurting; not a sport for an old man.
Being a novice in this game, I did not make further observations of individual mushrooms.
I guess my 100 odd photos, some of very colourful mushrooms, are no use for ID.

 

Hi David - it sound like you had an excellent time on Mayne!
Some species are easy to ID from photo, more require more details and/or more photos angles, it really depends on the kind of mushroom. Most types that have a cap require information about the underside.
And yup I know what you mean - lots of bending involved in mushroom observation, photography or otherwise :-)