Colour me Blue

[Ken MT]

Image of a sky blue fungus Entoloma hochstetteri Taken in Arnold Walkway, near Lake Moana, New Zealand, in late autumn (last weekend). 25-30mm tall
JPEG direct from camera. 400 ISO, 1/60 sec, f 8, -2EV, -1 FEC, 100 mm Macro.
(Underexposed to reduce blue channel being blown out)

Not known if this is edible or not! but wouldn't try it

[Donald]

Good grief! That's amazing. Is it common or a rarity? Wonderful colour.

[GiacomoD]

Not known if this is edible or not! but wouldn't try it

Well, I would never trust in a mushroom with such a colour, I've never seen it but I'm almost sure that it's toxic

[Bobobird]

That is a wonderful capture. Good presence of mind to cut the blue.

[Suzan J]

Oh my! I have never seen a blue mushroom before. It looks like something out of a fairy tale. Thanks for sharing it.

[Ken MT]

In reply to Donald, it is moderately common at this time of the year, found in mixed native forests in soil and moss, on rotting woods throughout New Zealand. In this case it was in beech forest, tends to occur in patches throughout the forest(Nothfagus spp).
Also found in India
The edibility of Entoloma hochstetteri is unknown but many members of the genus Entoloma are poisonous.