Tony Hardware's Fungi Finds

Well October should be a good month, and it was, although not until the middle of the month, when the fungi decided to show its head at last after a miserable early Autumn. This month I recorded no less than 16 species of Cortinarius, some very uncommon plus a whole lot of other interesting species. This doesn't include the first days of my trip with the BMS at the end of October in the Forest of Dean. My first foray into this forest, which surprised even me! Three key sites produced wonderful fungi at Highnam Woods, Cirencester Park and Sole Common Ponds (in Berkshire with Richard Huggins). I also had a few species sequenced thanks to the work of David Harries team at Aberystwyth University. One of which, an Inocybe is only the third record in the UK, and to have this confirmed by DNA is terrific. One very interesting find was what appeared to be Clavaria falcata whilst at Highnam Woods, thanks to Laura Dutton who spotted what I thought was Candlesnuff! This is a species that has been withdrawn of late owing to lack of material evidence and is just a common Clavaria. According to Petersen/Laessoe this is a species that warrants sps status. I kept the material but no interest from those that could have used this as a new investigation and to have sequenced which was also not possible due to lack of a holotype for matching. One day! I will just list the Cortinarius species recorded, picking out the really special finds, and there were many. I find it odd that so many recordists tend to shy away from identifying this genus for fear of a missed ID, I am the opposite, I love 'em! 😍And what's wrong with suggesting what you think they are, most of the time they are probably correct, occ. not no doubt, but you can suggest this also. Cortinarius acutus (Sole), alboviolaceus (Highnam), anthracinus (Sole) .. 1st Berks, decipientoides (Highnam) and 1st Gloucs/10 others in UK, delibutus (Sole), duracinus (Nailsworth Woods), epsomiensis (Minchinhampton Common, falsosus - likely as 1st UK!, flexipes (sole ... what a beauty!), lacustris (Highnam and Sole) .. 1st Berks, obtusus, pseudofallax (Sole) .. 2nd UK!.. ah well I give up, torvus (Sole), vernus (Sole) 1st Berks, and sanguineus (Soudley Ponds, FofDean) and lastly phew.. Cortinarius malicorius also at Soudley Ponds. Back to Cirencester Park, I found a very small Galerina lookalike and after careful study turned into Conocybe aurea, 1st Gloucs and just 8 other UK records. The cheilocystidia is exact here and why I trust what my microscope sees and what my brain cells interpret. Also here was Galerina sideroides, uncommon for sure, as well as the delightful Geastrum fimbriatum, which I added here just as its so gorgeous. During a Foray I was leading on UK Fungus Day at Crickley Hill, (a GloucsWT/NTrust site) homework produced Hebeloma aestivale as well as a difficult Inocybe. A single example, which I was pleased to be able to be sequenced again by David Harries and turned out to be very rare indeed Inocybe mycenoides! I thought it was something else even less rare! Just two other records in the UK. At Sole I found a baisc looking Hebeloma, but the cheilocystidia wasn't and proved to be H. geminatum, just 2 other UK records to date. Added Helvella lacunosa because it needs showing off, plus back at Sole the last species gathered on this extraordinary day was Inocybe margaritispora. Two more uncommon in Gloucs Inocybe muricellata and Inocybe ochroalba were both at Cirencester Park. At Sole a wonderful couple of specimens of a bolete that is the only one of its genus in Lanmaoa fragrans was located with Betula. Beautiful. Thanks to Richard Huggins and who showed me around this site. New for Berks and 13 other UK records only. Back at Cir. Park whilst eyes down on an Inocybe, I spotted a red looking Peziza sps which I would otherwise have missed for sure. This turned into P. saccardoana, 2nd Gloucs. but only 13 other UK records. Phlebiella fibrillosa and Ramariopes crocea were new for Gloucs, with finally a wonderful looking discomycete on a Pinus cone was surely Psilocistella conincola, but can't be proven as no sequence to match exists. Well, I had (still have) several! What a month. So for the two other people who actually read my blog, they know that I just love celebrating finding fungi, not bragging about how rare things are or not, but reporting these species needs to be known, and I love reporting on what I find. The luck is in the finding, the hard work is under the scope, and that's where the evidence calls the tune.. even for Cortinarius. Believe me, I take my time.