Chappetts Copse
Sun 27 Nov 2022
Anthracobia macrocystis
Photo © Dave Shute
Field event ID HF2222
OS Grid areas: SU6523
Report: It was good to see a few new faces for this survey of chalk woodland in West Meon. It was a mild day but some light rain arrived in the afternoon.
The lateness of the season meant fewer ‘cap and stem’ mushrooms so there was more emphasis placed on the crust (resupinate) and bracket fungi. Nevertheless, we did find a few mushrooms and these included a nice group of the uncommon Yellowing Knight (Tricholoma scalpturatum), plenty of White Saddle (Helvella crispa), Yellow Stainer (Agaricus xanthodermus), Bitter Waxccap (Hygrocybe mucronella) and another, seldom recorded species, Goldleaf Shield (Pluteus romellii). There was also a large brown-capped Fibrecap (Inocybe) which bruised reddish when handled and had a mild fruity scent, which was later determined as Inocybe incarnata.
Amongst the bracket-like species, the more interesting finds were Yellowing Curtain Crust (Stereum subtomentosum) and Crimped Gill (Plicatura crispa). Most of the resupinate fungi required further microscopic study but one rather striking reddish species was considered to be Hypoxylon subticinense and a bright yellow poroid that was thought to be Ceriporia spissa.
A hand-lens was a useful tool to admire the beauty of some of the smaller fungi found on decaying wood and these included Lemon Disco (Bisporella citrina), Snowy Disco (Lachnum virgineum), the eyelash fungus, Scutellinia crinita, Coral Spot (Nectria cinnabarina) and Fenugreek Stalkball (Phleogena faginea).
We came across an old bonfire site with associated burnt-ground species. These included Tephrocybe anthracophila, the tiny orange discs of Charcoal Goldeneye (Anthracobia macrocystis) and a cup fungus thought to be Peziza proteana (f. proteana).
Species recorded: Agaricus xanthodermus, Anthracobia macrocystis, Auricularia auricula-judae, Bisporella citrina, Bjerkandera adusta, Byssomerulius corium, Catinella olivacea, Ceriporia purpurea, Ceriporia spissa, Ceriporiopsis gilvescens, Coprinellus micaceus, Crepidotus cesatii, Crepidotus mollis, Daldinia concentrica, Eichleriella deglubens, Exidia nucleata, Exidia thuretiana, Fuscoporia ferruginosa, Galerina marginata, Ganoderma australe, Helvella crispa, Hygrocybe mucronella, Hyphodontia alutaria, Hyphodontia sambuci, Hypholoma fasciculare var. fasciculare, Inocybe incarnata, Marasmiellus ramealis, Mycena capillaris, Mycena haematopus, Mycena olida, Mycena speirea, Mycena tenerrima, Mycena vitilis, Nectria cinnabarina, Oudemansiella mucida, Peziza proteana f. proteana, Phanerochaete leprosa, Phanerochaete leprosa, Phlebiella sulphurea, Phleogena faginea, Plicatura crispa, Pluteus romellii, Postia subcaesia, Resupinatus, Scutellinia scutellata, Skeletocutis semipileata, Stereum hirsutum, Stereum subtomentosum, Tephrocybe anthracophila, Trametes gibbosa, Trametes versicolor, Tremella mesenterica, Tricholoma scalpturatum, Xerula radicata, 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.