COVER N. 318 - MONACO

Postmark: Monte-Carlo PTE de Monaco 16.09.2023

Posted on the 16th September; received on the 24th September 2023

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The first rains are in, relative humidity has been high lately too, on top of that air temperature is still far from recommending the use of a warm woollen sweater at all times... soon the ground of the pine woods not far from my place where I so often go to spend some time walking and photographing will begin to be dotted here and there with tiny (and not so tiny) circles of sundry colours... it's autumn and mushrooms are here again....

…And not only on the ground, since it seems The Phantom has been picking them up on that tiny country in the Mediterranean coast, famous for car racing and gossip on the life and times of its ruling family...

Thanks a bunch, Alex. Great Cover with great stamps!

The Parc National du Mercantour was established in 1979, occupying 679 Km2 in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and Alpes-Maritimes departments in the Southwest of France, near Nice and, consequently, just a mere 50 km away, as the bird flies, from the Principality of Monaco.

On 26MAY1988, La Poste Monaco issued the six stamp set dedicated to mushrooms from Mercantour's National Park which was used on the cover.

The beautiful illustrations on the stamps depict, from left to right:

Pholiota flammans, a golden yellow and scaly member of the Strophariaceae family in the Agaricales order, it is associated with deciduous conifer trees. Although not poisonous it is not considered as edible.

Lactarius lignyotus, a brownish member of the Russulaceae family, in the Russulasales order, also associated with coniferous trees. Suspected poisonous.

Cortinarus traganus, a lilac or brownish member of the Cortinariaceae family, in the Agaricales order. Again it is associated with coniferous trees and it is mildly poisonous.

Russula Olivacea, yellowish-olive to rusty brown edible mushroom,  it is a member of the Russulaceae family, in the Russulasales order, and is found in deciduous and conifer trees.

Hygrocybe punicea, the crimson waxcap, a deep red member of the Hygrophoraceae family in the Agaricales order, which is known to be consumed, although there are reports of it causing unpleasant stomach upsets. Can be found on cropped grassland.

Leccinum rotundifolie, a light hazelnut coloured boletus, whose cap is cream to brown when young and pale white when old. A member of the Boletaceae family in the Boletales order. Edible.

The stamps were postmarked at Monaco's capital, Monte-Carlo.