Not a bee in sight…

Beeswax Bracket (Ganoderma pfeifferi)

G. pfeifferi is a widespread but uncommon find in England and very rare in Scotland and Wales. The above group was recently found and photographed in a cavity within a decaying beech in West Sussex woodland. My thanks to Martin Allison, county recorder for basidiomycetes, for confirming identification.

References:

Buczacki, S., Shields, C. and Ovenden, D. (2012). Collins Fungi Guide: The most complete field guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain & Ireland. London: HarperCollins, p. 484, fig. p.485.

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 268, fig. p. 269.

https://www.first-nature.com/fungi/ganoderma-pfeifferi.php

https://species.nbnatlas.org/species/NHMSYS0001482804

Simocybe ...

Simocybe sumptuosa

Little brown jobs are often far more than that when viewed through a macro lens. The above specimens of the delicate S. sumptuosa were recently found and photographed on a rotten oak log at Wiggonholt Common, West Sussex. My thanks to Martin Allison, county recorder for basidiomycetes, for confirming their identification.

Common maybe ...

Tawny Grisette (Amanita fulva)

But I do like a nice Amanita fulva emerging from its 'egg' ...

References:

Buczacki, S., Shields, C. and Ovenden, D. (2012). Collins Fungi Guide: The most complete field guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain & Ireland. London: HarperCollins, p. 242, fig. p. 243.

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 94, fig. p. 95.

Fungi that bite ...

Velvet Tooth (Hydnellum spongiosipes)

H. spongiosipes (Thelephorales: Bankeraceae) is an uncommon stipitate hydnoid fungus. These are a group of ‘tooth fungi’ [fungi that release their spores from tooth-like structures], which have a short stalk or 'stipe', hence the name 'stipitate'.

Stipitate hydnoid fungi are ectomycorrhizal; forming close symbiotic relationships with trees and deriving some of their nutrients from the tree's roots. This aids them in obtaining nutrients where soil quality is poor and means they are always found in association with trees. H. spongiosipes is typically associated with oak, sweet chestnut and, less frequently, beech; this provides a useful, but not necessarily accurate way of distinguishing between this species and H. ferrugineum, which occurs mainly under pine.

References:

Ainsworth, A.M., Parfitt, D., Rogers, H.J. and Boddy, L. (2010). Cryptic taxa within European species of Hydnellum and Phellodon revealed by combined molecular and morphological analysis. Fungal Ecology, 3(2), pp. 65-80.

Dickson, G. (2000). A field key to British non-resupinate hydnoid fungi. Field Mycology, 1(3), pp. 99-104.

Kibby, G. (2017). Mushrooms and Toadstools of Great Britain & Europe, Volume 1, pp.40-41.

O’Reilly, P. (2016). Fascinated by Fungi – exploring the majesty and mystery, facts and fantasy of the quirkiest kingdom on earth. Llandysul: First Nature, pp. 203-205.

Phillips, R. (2006). Mushrooms. London: Pan Macmillan, pp. 323-327.

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, pp. 296-301.

http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/_speciespages/374.pdf

https://species.nbnatlas.org/species/NBNSYS0000021229#overview

http://www.fieldmycology.net/GBCHKLST/gbsyns.asp?intGBNum=3195

Variation in concept …

Sowerbyella radiculata

Until someone calls it something else …

The British Mycological Society records 124 British records of S. radiculata (Pezizales: Pyronemataceae) on its FRDBI database [18 October 2017] with just 5 from Sussex; the most recent being in 1957 from Friston Forest, East Sussex. There are two early records, one dating back to 1876, from Stopham, West Sussex. However, S. radiculata has also been recorded from Lullington Heath, East Sussex, where it was first recorded in 2014. There is also a modern record from Ashdown Forest, East Sussex (M. Allison, 2017, pers. comms., 14 October).

Buczacki et al. (2012) state, ‘usually in small trooping-tufted groups’ and ‘on soil with conifers.’ Sterry et al. (2009) state, ‘solitary or in small groups in coniferous woodland.’ The above specimens were found amongst coastal chalk grassland in East Sussex; so quite distinct in habitat from that described. There is a lot of variation in the current concept of this uncommon species, including a few ‘varieties’, which will no doubt be described as separate species in the future. Apart from the untypical habitat in which the above examples were found, the spores are quite wide and have a nice dense reticulate ornamentation; shown above dyed with Cotton Blue.

My thanks to Nick Aplin for the above photomicrograph and his considered opinion.

References:

Buczacki, S., Shields, C. and Ovenden, D. (2012). Collins Fungi Guide: The most complete field guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain & Ireland. London: HarperCollins, p. 606, fig. p. 607.

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 324, fig. p. 325.

www.fieldmycology.net/FRDBI/FRDBIrecord.asp?intGBNum=57192

www.ascomycete.org/2000Pezizales/TaxonView/tabid/129/ArticleId/30/language/en-US/Sowerbyella-radiculata.aspx?mapid=16#prettyPhoto

Looking beyond the obvious …

Phacidium lauri

The tiny ascomycete fungus P. lauri (Helotiales: Phacidiaceae) found in West Sussex and photographed on the decaying leaves of Ilex aquifolium.

Certainly one to look out for if you like them small …

References:

Crous, P.W., Quaedvlieg, W., Hansen, K., Hawksworth, D.L. and Groenewald, J.Z. (2014). Phacidium and Ceuthospora (Phacidiaceae) are congeneric: taxonomic and nomenclatural implications. IMA Fungus, 5(2), pp. 173-193.

www.indexfungorum.org/names/NamesRecord.asp?RecordID=810293

www.catalogueoflife.org/col/details/species/id/6b3dffabb609344d132209946f0287ab

Ready to strike …

European Adder (Vipera berus)

The Adder Vipera berus is the only venomous snake in Britain. It is easily recognised by the dark zigzag stripe running down the length of the spine. There is also a row of dark spots along each side and a V or X shape on the back of the head. It has red eyes and is the only native reptile with a vertically split pupil. Background colours vary from grey-white in the male to various shades of brown or copper in the female. On occasion, completely black specimens are described. Males grow to around 60cm in length and the females to around 75cm. Both sexes tend to have a rather stocky appearance.

V. berus is found throughout Britain right up to the north of Scotland. In Scandinavia its range extends into the Arctic Circle. It is not, however, found in Ireland. It likes open habitats such as heathland, moorland, open woodland and sea cliffs, and rarely strays into gardens.

The best time to see V. berus is during early spring when they emerge from their hibernation sites. By mid April, the males have shed their dull winter skin and are ready to mate. On warm humid days there is a lot of frenzied behaviour, with males looking for females and occasionally dueling with other males for territorial supremacy. The males writhe around each other in an impressive way, often covering the ground at great speed. It is an impressive site if you are fortunate to witness it.

References:

www.arc-trust.org/adder

www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/adder

Peziza ...

Anything but straightforward …

During a recent search of old parkland in West Sussex I found a small colony of the above cup fungi, which I believed to be a Peziza species. They were growing amongst a chipped softwood mulch at the base of a large cedar tree.

Cup fungi, the brown ones in particular, are especially difficult to identify with certainty. Having photographed a representative selection of the specimens, I collected several samples and later passed them to Nick Aplin, the county recorder for ascomycetes, for his opinion. Nick has tentatively identified them as Peziza varia s.l. Species delimitation in this group is quite controversial and there are several undescribed species, which could be a good fit as the spores from my collection were just a bit large for P. varia. The samples have been dried with view to DNA barcoding and further study later in the year. My thanks to Nick for his time and opinion and for the above photomicrograph.

Aroma-dentity ...

Fragrant Funnel (Clitocybe fragrans)

Widespread and common throughout much of Britain, C. fragrans can be found in both deciduous and coniferous woodland, often amongst mosses and grasses, and also on woodchip mulch in gardens. Although superficially resembling many other ‘brown’ fungi it has a sickly-sweet anise scent [along with a number of other species], which forms an element of the characteristics of this species. The above specimen was recently photographed in a mature conifer plantation in West Sussex.

My thanks to Nick Aplin of the Sussex Fungus Group who kindly confirmed the identification.

References:

Buczacki, S., Shields, C. and Ovenden, D. (2012). Collins Fungi Guide: The most complete field guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain & Ireland. London: HarperCollins, p. 168, fig. p. 169.

Phillips, R. (2006). Mushrooms. London: Pan Macmillan, p. 92, fig. p. 93 (c).

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 118, fig. p. 119.

www.leifgoodwin.co.uk/Fungi/Clitocybe%20fragrans.html

Your challenge is to find them somewhere else …

Spring Hazelcup (Encoelia furfuracea)

Having eagerly jumped at Clare’s proposition, “Your challenge is to find them somewhere else now”, I then stopped and really thought about it in more detail. Just how hard was this going to be? Did I stand any chance? Well, as luck would have it, fortunately not too hard as after looking at more Common Hazel Corylus avellana than I care to remember and, fortunately just a short drive down the road from where I live, I managed to find four small groups in private woodland on the outskirts of Kirdford, West Sussex.

As with many things in life, once you know what you are looking for e.g. its size, shape, colour, habitat, season, etc., things start to get a little bit easier. However, although widespread, E. furfuracea is generally regarded as an uncommon find in Britain. This irregularly shaped cup fungus can be found during the winter and spring. Typically clustered in small groups on the dead wood of C. avellana it has occasionally been recorded on Common Alder Alnus glutinosa.

My thanks to Clare, Jim and Dawn for their guidance in the first instance …

References:

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 308, fig. p. 309.

www.leifgoodwin.co.uk/Fungi/Encoelia%20furfuracea.html

A welly full of water …

Bog Beacon (Mitrula paludosa)

Early spring and summer is the time to look for M. paludosa. This saprotrophic [feeding on dead organic matter] earthtongue is usually found on the remains of higher plants, mosses and algae in areas of seeping or standing water including streams, ditches and pond margins. Although widespread in Britain it can be difficult to find and is generally uncommon. Despite its bright yellow-orange head and its gregarious behaviour, it is easily overlooked. You will not find M. paludosa where the habitat is unsuitable, but neither should you assume that where the habitat is suitably boggy with plenty of decomposing vegetation it will appear - more often than not it doesn't.

Be careful of the depth of the water though …

References:

O’Reilly, P. (2016). Fascinated by Fungi – exploring the majesty and mystery, facts and fantasy of the quirkiest kingdom on earth. Llandysul: First Nature, p. 385.

Phillips, R. (2006). Mushrooms. London: Pan Macmillan, p. 367, fig. p. 366 (h).

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 304, fig. p. 305.

www.first-nature.com/fungi/mitrula-paludosa.php

www.leifgoodwin.co.uk/Fungi/Mitrula%20paludosa.html

Ecclesiastical fungi ...

Cedar Cup (Geopora sumneriana)

G. sumneriana is an unusual ascomycete fungus which is typically found partially buried in small groups beneath cedar trees in parks, gardens and churchyards. This relatively large cup fungus initially develops underground as a hairy orange-brown to reddish-brown sphere before breaking through the soil surface and opening up to form a crown-shaped cup. It is a widespread though generally uncommon find in Britain. The above examples, including two specimens growing through the cracks in a tarmac path, were taken recently in an ancient churchyard in West Sussex …

References:

Buczacki, S., Shields, C. and Ovenden, D. (2012). Collins Fungi Guide: The most complete field guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain & Ireland. London: HarperCollins, p. 610, fig. p. 611.

Phillips, R. (2006). Mushrooms. London: Pan Macmillan, p. 367, fig. p. 366 (b).

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 314, figs. pp. 314 and 315.

www.first-nature.com/fungi/geopora-sumneriana.php

www.fieldmycology.net/GBCHKLST/gbsyns.asp?intGBNum=14063

Phleogena ...

Fenugreek Stalkball (Phleogena faginea)

P. faginea is an infrequent to rare find in Britain with currently only 286 records listed on the British Mycological Society’s Fungal Records Database of Britain and Ireland (FRDBI). The images above are from a small colony I recently discovered in West Sussex on 6th November 2016; the fruiting bodies being located within the cracks between the bark of a living oak tree. Possibly overlooked due to its small size and nature, the NBN Gateway suggests this is predominantly a southern species.

Certainly one to look out for if you like them small …

References:

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 338, fig. p. 339.

https://data.nbn.org.uk/Taxa/NBNSYS0000021701

www.fieldmycology.net/GBCHKLST/gbsyns.asp?intGBNum=4702

Middle-earth …

Green Elfcup (Chlorociboria aeruginascens)

C. aeruginascens is a widespread and common ascomycete fungus whose non-fruiting presence is evidenced by the conspicuous blue-green mycelium stained timbers. The beautiful cup-shaped fruiting bodies, generally 2 to 5mm across, are far less frequently encountered. Mainly fruiting during the autumn-winter period, it is always a pleasure to find fresh specimens of this tiny fungus ...

References:

Buczacki, S., Shields, C. and Ovenden, D. (2012). Collins Fungi Guide: The most complete field guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain & Ireland. London: HarperCollins, p. 604, fig. p. 605.

O’Reilly, P. (2016). Fascinated by Fungi – exploring the majesty and mystery, facts and fantasy of the quirkiest kingdom on earth. Llandysul: First Nature, pp. 92-93.

Phillips, R. (2006). Mushrooms. London: Pan Macmillan, p. 377, fig. g.

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 308, fig. p. 309.

www.first-nature.com/fungi/chlorociboria-aeruginascens.php

Fungal jungle ...

Ebernoe Common, West Sussex

Where your fungal fantasies come alive ...

Ebernoe Common is a superb example of a habitat which has been almost completely lost from Sussex - a wood pasture, where cattle are allowed to roam freely within the confines of the woodland feeding in the glades and under the trees. The Sussex Wildlife Trust has restored this centuries old practice to the reserve so that once again the delicate balance of trees, flowers, insects, fungi, birds and other species are thriving.

Fungi are a crucial part of the ecosystem, helping some tree species to grow, and others to decay, returning nutrients to the soil. Over 1000 species have been recorded here including many that are nationally rare. A small selection of images from this season are figured above. These include (i) Upright Coral (Ramaria stricta), (ii) Hen of the Woods (Grifola frondosa), (iii) Hare's Ear (Otidea onotica), (iv) the notorious Deathcap (Amanita phalloides), and (v) what I believe to be Common Bonnet (Mycena galericulata).

Ebernoe Common is an internationally important site, which is designated as a National Nature Reserve (NNR), a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Special Area for Conservation (SAC) under the Habitats Directive. This means it is illegal to knowingly remove living material, which includes fungi, unless you have specific permission to do so for research purposes.

References:

Buczacki, S., Shields, C. and Ovenden, D. (2012). Collins Fungi Guide: The most complete field guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain & Ireland. London: HarperCollins.

O’Reilly, P. (2016). Fascinated by Fungi – exploring the majesty and mystery, facts and fantasy of the quirkiest kingdom on Earth. Llandysul: First Nature.

Phillips, R. (2006). Mushrooms. London: Pan Macmillan.

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins.

Sussex Wildlife Trust (2012). Ebernoe Common - Nature Reserve Guide. Woods Mill, Henfield: Sussex Wildlife Trust.

www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/fungi