The Third Time’s the Charm: A Rare Mushroom Find in Texas

by Michelle Lopez

I was standing behind the barn the other day, not looking for anything in particular, when I happened to glance down at an old board on the ground. Growing right out of it was a small, unassuming mushroom—one of those moments where something ordinary suddenly asks you to pay closer attention.

Of course, I did what any curious naturalist would do: I took a photo and uploaded it to iNaturalist.

That’s when the surprise came.

The mushroom turned out to be Pleuroflammula tuberculosa, a species with only 527 documented observations worldwide—and just two prior sightings in the entire state of Texas. Mine became the third.

Finding something so rare without intentionally searching for it feels like a quiet gift from the land. It’s a reminder that nature doesn’t always announce itself with fanfare. Sometimes it waits patiently for us to slow down, look down, and notice what’s right at our feet.

Moments like this are why I love spending time outdoors. Nature never disappoints. There is always something interesting happening—fungi recycling old wood, birds passing through unseen, insects going about their lives—if we’re willing to stop and observe.

Who knows how many rare, beautiful, or important things we walk past every day without realizing it? This little mushroom was a good reminder to keep my eyes open and my curiosity alive.