Shortheath
Sat 4 Dec 2021
Clavaria argillacea
Photo © Dave Shute
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Field event ID HF2131
OS Grid areas: SU7637
Report: A visit to this heathland site was made in dry, overcast and rather cool conditions with a moderate westerly breeze.
From the car park, we skirted the shore of the large pond along a boardwalk through wet willow carr. Here, we saw the blackish Phellinus igniarius (Willow Bracket) and some fine specimens of Sarcomyxa serotina (Olive Oysterling), an attractive deep-green species with a rather slimy cap.
As we moved to drier ground, Eric found the uncommon resupinate, Eichleriella deglubens (Blushing Crust) on oak. It has a pinkish substrate with curious, scattered, white coral-like projections. Nearby, clumps of Purple Moor-grass were host to the parasitic Claviceps purpurea (Ergot) whose black, banana-shaped fruitbody projected from the seed-head.
Rhodocollybia maculata (Spotted Toughshank) was found under pines and Plicatura crispa (Crimped Gill) on a birch log. The latter used to be quite rare but is now being found more frequently. A funnel with a deep depression in the cap was later identified as Clitocybe metachroa (Twotone Funnel).
We made our way across the heath at the back of the pond where we came across the small oysterling, Clitopilus hobsonii (Miller’s Oysterling), on one birch branch and the toothed crust fungus, Mycoacia uda, on another. Eric demonstrated how the yellowish teeth of this species turn a dark purple with the application of potassium hydroxide (KOH). Still on the birch, a very small white bonnet with woolly cap and stem, proved to be Mycena corynephora. Additional crust fungi noted were Chondrostereum purpureum (Silverleaf Fungus) and Steccherinum ochraceum (Ochre Spreading Tooth).
We found a woodland clearing to stop for lunch, close to a single alder which was festooned with tiers of Mensularia radiata (Alder Bracket) whilst a couple of oak twigs at our feet bore the small Rutstroemia firma (Brown Cup).
We then proceeded to a small lawn on sandy soil, where we found a few waxcaps, Hygrocybe virginea (Snowy Waxcap) and Gliophorus psittacinus (Parrot Waxcap).
As we headed back across the damper heath, a pale, yellowish club fungus was found which turned out to be Clavaria argillacea (Moor Coral) and a piece of birch log had the turquoise staining of Chlorociboria aeruginascens (Green Elf Cup).
This brought an end to another successful outing.
Species recorded: Ascocoryne cylichnium, Baeospora myosura, Bjerkandera adusta, Bulgaria inquinans, Chlorociboria aeruginascens, Chondrostereum purpureum, Clavaria argillacea, Claviceps purpurea var. purpurea, Clitocybe metachroa, Clitocybe phyllophila, Clitopilus hobsonii, Crepidotus cesatii, Crepidotus mollis, Daedaleopsis confragosa, Eichleriella deglubens, Fuscoporia ferrea, Ganoderma australe, Gliophorus psittacinus agg., Gymnopilus penetrans, Gymnopus androsaceus, Hygrocybe virginea var. virginea, Hypholoma fasciculare var. fasciculare, Laccaria amethystina, Laccaria laccata, Lactarius quietus, Lepista nuda, Mensularia radiata, Mycena arcangeliana, Mycena citrinomarginata, Mycena corynephora, Mycena epipterygia, Mycena galericulata, Mycena speirea, Mycena vitilis, Mycoacia uda, Panellus stipticus, Peniophora limitata, Phellinus igniarius, Phlebia radiata, Phlebia tremellosa, Piptoporus betulinus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Plicatura crispa, Pluteus cervinus, Rhodocollybia butyracea, Rhodocollybia maculata, Rickenella fibula, Russula fragilis var. fragilis, Russula ochroleuca, Rutstroemia firma, Sarcomyxa serotina, Scleroderma citrinum, Skeletocutis semipileata, Steccherinum ochraceum, Stereum hirsutum, Trametes versicolor, Tremella mesenterica, Xylaria hypoxylon
A full species list with further details can be seen at the Fungal Records Database of Britain and Ireland (FRDBI). Please contact us if you need a user ID.