one of those aaaaggghhhh, a Cordyceps! moments. luckily I saw exactly where the rest of the fruit body and host were, and could dig it up and jury rig a shot back at the Ranch (so to speak).

Hugh Smith found a whole big grouping of these and thought that they were Clavariadelphus and didn’t pick any of ‘em! I wasn’t along for that foray, but saw the after the fact shots….so, sometimes these little suckers fool ya, no matter who you are.

Or was that just added for contrast? Nice photos, btw. Is this now Elaphocordyceps capitata, like E. ophioglossoides? Or is Elaphocordyceps o. the only species in that genus now? Growing from an Elaphomyces, possibly E. granulatus.