No better example of the plant "born to blush unseen" can be found than the lowly fungi. Mushrooms and toadstools, growing quickly and unostentatiously in the dim-lit forest or hidden in the grass of the field are often passed by and little admired by man in general.

But the fungi of Mt. Rainier National Park have a saviour. Miss Elizabeth E. Morse, Secretary of the Mycological Society of California and an authority on Pacific Coast fungi, has just concluded an extensive stay in this Park during which time she made an intensive study of our fungi. Needless to say her work here and her enthusiasm for this particular branch of science has served to bring to light much of interest that has heretofore been passed by unnoticed.

The material that she has collected will be made available to our Museum and the information gained in its collection will go far toward making our Park Encyclopedia of greater value to the Educational or Nature Guide work here. She has literally made this Park "fungi-minded". Her work here has been the greatest contribution to a better understanding of our natural features by an outside party in many years for she has not only made an intensive study of mycology here--donating her own time--but has made the results of this study available for our use. Perhaps the high light of her work was the finding of a species of Hydnum not listed in any catalogue of fungi, as far as is known at the present time. It is hoped that this will prove to be a new species and if so it is proposed to name it Hydnum rainerii. This fungi is woody, apparently a perennial. It is ochre colored, the exterior surface being covered with short woody spines on which the spores are born. It was found by Miss Morse barely peeking through the carpet of evergreen needles and moss in the dry, coniferous forest near Longmire at an elevation of about 2700 feet.

A series of short articles on the fungi of the Park is now in preparation. After being referred to Miss Morse for certification they will be made available to readers of "NATURE NOTES" at regular intervals.

L. G. Richards,
Information Ranger