Reptile Centre Fungus Walks and Exhibition
Sat 22 Oct 2022
Boletus edulis
Photo © Dave Shute
Field event ID HF2217
Report: The weekend forays were conducted in very mild and occasionally showery weather conditions, but the woods offered shelter when needed and the enthusiasm of our guide, Eric Janke, and the visitors remained undampened.
The autumn continued to provide a profusion of fungi with many species on offer. Some, such as the majestic Magpie Inkcap (Coprinopsis picacea), were found very close to the centre. The walks on the first day produced other exciting discoveries such as Leafy Brain (Tremella foliocea), a species which gains all its nutrients from the bracket fungus, Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hirsutum). A variety of milkcaps and brittlegills were seen including some large specimens of Ugly Milkcap (Lactarius turpis) and the bright red Beechwood Sickener (Russula nobilis). Adjacent to the main track leading north, there was a stand of the scarce and beautiful Violet Webcap (Cortinarius violaceus) and a pine stump covered in Yellowleg Bonnet (Mycena epipterygia).
In the nearby pinewood we were delighted to find both the Tricholomopsis species growing together on rotting logs, Prunes and Custard (T. decora) and Plums and Custard (T. rutilans). Even more unusual was a stunning little cluster of orange cup fungi amongst the pine needles which were later determined as Melastiza scotia, due to the distinctive spore shape when seen under a microscope.
The second day was notable for the discovery of the first site record of the outlandish Devil’s Fingers (Clathrus archeri), an alien species thought to have originally arrived in the UK from Australia during army supply movements in the Second World War. Perhaps even more exciting, was the find of four fruiting bodies of the Yellow False Truffle (Rhizopogon luteolus), spotted whilst the group sheltered from a shower under a tree.
On the final day, the morning group saw the impressive Bearded Tooth (Hericium erinaceus) fruiting high up in a Beech rot-hole and the uncommon Alder Scalycap (Pholiota alnicola). In the afternoon, the walk encompassed some boggy grassland which produced a different range of species, including an assortment of brittlegills (Russulas) such as Primrose (R. sardonia), Humpback (R. caerulea), Yellow Swamp (R. claroflava) and Charcoal Burner (R. cyanoxantha). There were also several bolete species including the Greyshank Bolete (Leccinum cyaneobasiluecum).
Species recorded: Amanita citrina var. citrina, Amanita excelsa var. excelsa, Amanita fulva, Amanita muscaria var. muscaria, Amanita rubescens var. rubescens, Armillaria mellea, Baeospora myosura, Bjerkandera adusta, Boletus badius, Boletus cisalpinus, Boletus edulis, Boletus luridiformis var. luridiformis, Bulgaria inquinans, Calocera cornea, Calocera viscosa, Cantharellus cibarius, Cantharellus tubaeformis, Chlorociboria aeruginascens, Clathrus archeri, Claviceps purpurea var. purpurea, Clavulina coralloides, Clavulinopsis helvola, Clitopilus hobsonii, Clitopilus prunulus, Collybia cookei, Coprinopsis picacea, Cordyceps militaris, Cortinarius semisanguineus, Cortinarius violaceus, Fistulina hepatica, Fomes fomentarius, Ganoderma australe, Gymnopilus junonius, Gymnopilus penetrans, Gymnopus erythropus, Gymnopus fusipes, Gymnopus peronatus, Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca, Hypholoma fasciculare var. fasciculare, Hypoxylon fragiforme, Inocybe geophylla var. geophylla, Laccaria amethystina, Laccaria proxima, Lachnum virgineum, Lactarius blennius, Lactarius chrysorrheus, Lactarius fulvissimus, Lactarius glyciosmus, Lactarius hepaticus, Lactarius hysginus, Lactarius quietus, Lactarius rufus, Lactarius semisanguifluus, Lactarius subdulcis, Lactarius subumbonatus, Lactarius turpis, Leccinum cyaneobasileucum, Leccinum scabrum, Lepista flaccida, Lycoperdon perlatum, Lycoperdon pratense, Lycoperdon pratense, Macrolepiota procera var. procera, Megacollybia platyphylla, Melastiza contorta, Meripilus giganteus, Mycena capillaripes, Mycena epipterygia, Mycena galericulata, Mycena galopus var. candida, Mycena haematopus, Mycena inclinata, Mycena megaspora, Mycena rorida, Mycena rosea, Oudemansiella mucida, Panaeolus papilionaceus var. papilionaceus, Panellus stipticus, Peziza badia, Phaeolus schweinitzii, Phallus impudicus, Phlebia tremellosa, Pholiota aurivella, Pholiota squarrosa, Piptoporus betulinus, Pleurotus ostreatus, Pluteus cervinus, Postia guttulata, Psathyrella piluliformis, Psilocybe cyanescens, Ramaria stricta, Rhizopogon luteolus, Rhodocollybia butyracea, Russula aeruginea, Russula atropurpurea, Russula caerulea, Russula claroflava, Russula cyanoxantha, Russula densifolia, Russula faginea, Russula fellea, Russula fragilis var. fragilis, Russula insignis, Russula nigricans, Russula nobilis, Russula ochroleuca, Russula parazurea, Russula robertii, Russula sardonia, Russula velenovskyi, Russula vesca, Schizophyllum commune, Scleroderma citrinum, Simocybe sumptuosa, Sparassis crispa, Stereum hirsutum, Stereum hirsutum, Stropharia semiglobata, Suillus bovinus, Suillus grevillei, Suillus variegatus, Tarzetta cupularis, Tremella foliacea, Tricholomopsis decora, Tricholomopsis rutilans, Trochila ilicina, Xerula radicata
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.