Local woodland, Wadebridge - 7th November 2018

Since starting this blog I have been assessing most finds on everything each specimen can provide other than microscopic detail and I hope that is due to change as the day after I went along to this site I purchased a Digital Microscope! Yessssss!! I thought I should just 'nip-out' and pick up one or two fungi to create some new material for testing the microscope during the purchasing process. I am glad I went as I headed to a very close location, in murky conditions, rain and getting darker by the second than I thought. I did pick up a few common species, one not so common in Agaricus moelleri, with many around one small area of woodland showing a peculiar pinking at the margin but also yellowing on the stem when handled, a key ID for this not so regular species. While thinking of returning, as I was going to need a torch to get out soon, I noticed a quite bright orange/brown fungus growing on a branch on the ground. I then found another close by, this one much larger. I knew then that this was something I had not seen before but couldn't think for a moment what genus this belonged to. It was only the following day thanks to ID provided by Pauline Penna, who leads the Cornwall Fungus Recording Group, which I support  also, that this was very special and quite rare. This is Hypocreopsis rhododendri, normally seen in the north of the country only. It had been seen once before in this location ten years previously, so this is a confirmation that this species survives here and is looking good for becoming a valuable site for the well being of Hazel Gloves, the English name for this unusual but somehow beautiful ascomycetes type fungus. 

Hypocreopsis rhododendri - Hazel Gloves a very rare species for Cornwall
and recognised as an A - Red-Listed protected species on the UK list.

Hypocreopsis rhododendri - Hazel Gloves

Agricus moelleri - Inky Mushroom

Agricus moelleri - Inky Mushroom gills
and yellowing stem/ring