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

One for sorrow, two for joy …

Magpie Inkcap (Coprinopsis picacea)

West Sussex ...

Although generally found as solitary specimens, C. picacea can also be found in well-spaced small groups. Although relatively frequent in the south of England, where they are mainly found amongst the soil and leaf litter of deciduous woodland, particularly beech, they are a rare find elsewhere. There is certainly something rather special about finding a pristine specimen of this beautiful fungus, or even better, a small group standing upright amongst the leaf litter of their woodland home …

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.253.

Phillips, R. (2006). Mushrooms. London: Pan Macmillan, pp. 258, fig. p. 259, c.

Sterry, P. and Hughes. B. (2009). Collins Complete Guide to British Mushrooms and Toadstools. London: HarperCollins, p. 218, fig. p. 219.