Cork oak:
The Clathrus ruber fungus grew on a steep, slick slope under these trees. For those
unfamiliar with this tree, you might find them interesting.
Cork oak (Quercus suber) is a tree that grows a thick bark layer that can be stripped off in a giant strip, all the way
around the tree's circumference. Doing so does not girdle the tree--the plant responds simply by growing a new bark layer. And this, of course is exactly
what cork is.
Most of the cork oak trees in Portugal have signs of cork-harvesting. It was novel to see these trees,
even as young as they are, without signs of prior bark stripping.
