Studland Heath
Sat 5 Dec 2015
Clavaria argillacea
Photo © Stuart Skeates
Field event ID HF1529
Weather: December had remained unusually warm but subject to several storms one of which was passing through at the time of the visit.
Report: Although this site is definitately outside Hampshire and VC11 the group was keen to visit a different habitat and see some unusual dune fungi which Bryan Edwards had been recording. The weather was daunting with a high wind warning but thankfully the rain would be minimal. We initially visited the grassland around the Shell Bay carpark and most notably were shown Xenotypa aterrima growing on the attached birch branches. The fungus peels back the bark revealing the deep black surface of the fungus underneath. The fungus is of additional interest as it is host to Dencoeleopsis johnstonii a fungus in the Lost and Found project. We then proceded to the dunes and coastal strip and were treated to a variety of fungi many of which some of us had not seen before including Arrhenia peltigerina at possibly its only known English site, that is until Malcolm Storey found it twice in the following weeks in Hampshire at Blashford Lakes and Setley Common. Our thanks to Bryan for a truly enjoyable day under dreadful weather conditions and I am sure we shall return.
Species list: Arrhenia peltigerina, Clavaria argillacea, Lepiota erminea, Mycena chlorantha, Octospora rutilans, Peziza ammophila, Podosordaria tulasnei, Psathyrella ammophila, Sabuloglossum arenarium, Xenotypa aterrima