Breney Common and woodland, Nr Lanivet, Cornwall - 23rd March 2019

I had originally targeted visiting a quarry just north of Luxulyan as my interpretations on the map suggested a nice area to explore. To my dismay on arrival the whole area was sectioned off as a paint-ball exercise area and any intrusions you would be shot on sight. So, noticed there is Breney Common Nature Reserve belonging to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust just north of here so not being there before it looked a good option. I wasn't to be disappointed as not only is the location excellent with wetlands, swampy areas and close by a gorse common provided new sightings for me and Cornwall! Moving through a swampy area holding all types of trees I came upon a vertical cluster of bracket fungi, unusual in the way it adhered to the substrate and proved to be Phellinus pomaceus. Moving further through the delightful old rotting wood area and checking on some red blobs under a stump I found a first for me, although fairly common in the right habitat, and this was perfect. The turned out to be Scutellinia scutellata or Eyelash Fungus with amazing long black hairs on the margins of the cup shaped fungus. Moving further along into a more open grassy, boardwalk through ponds and wetlands area, (doesn't get much better than this) I came upon a few agarics, still unusual for this time of the year. These turned out to be ground growing Polyporus durus or Bay Polypores, where the spore producing underside is pore rather than gill based. Finally, I drifted onto the Common hopeful of something new for the year as I hadn't frequented a Heathland/Common area for years. Within a few meters of each other I found two highly unusual species, the first a small orange cup type ascomycete appeared on top of some cattle dung. On closer inspection, and er... not taking too long, I observed a similar fungus to the Eyelash as seen before but the colour change and different type of margin hairs being white suggested something new. After spore tests and hyphae etc at home this turned out to be the first record for Cornwall I could find for Cheilymenia stercorea. Lastly, I turned over a burnt gorse or oak branch and found several small almost asco type fungi underneath except each had a small foot to the substrate and the surface was of a resupinate merulioid structure. After careful elimination and spore tests it was identified as Phlebia rufa, where, in its young form, produces small circles.

The following day I was in North Cornwall and on the South West Coastal path for a few miles and came across an early Entoloma sericeum or two. Also known as Silky Pinkgill. Nice to see as this genus is one of my favourites and first time I was able to extract a spore photo of this genus. 

Phellinus pomaceus or Cushion Bracket

Polyporus durus

Scutellinia scutellata or Eyelash Fungus

1st for Cornwall Cheilymenia stercorea on dung

Cheilymenia stercorea asco
spores and basidia

Phlebia rufa merulioid resupinate. Largest only 5mm dia.

Phlebia rufa resupinate poss. cystidia

Phlebia rufa resupinate spores 

Entoloma sericeum or Silky Pinkgill

Entoloma sericeum 5-sided spores

Pencarrow Woods, Nr Wadebridge, Cornwall - 17th March 2019

Pencarrow Woods, owned by the Forestry Comm. always seems to come up with something different and today was no exception. I started walking up the northern footpath and kept going this time which took me into darker more intense woodland, something I prefer than sparse trees and leaf litter. Just after thinking was I astute in coming out today I was hit by hailfall (hardly a storm) which mostly bounced off me and with the aid of a single Holly bush I survived! On logs by the pathway I found a common resupinate Sleletocutis vulgaris, now known as Sidera v. Nearby, a pile of wet and cut conifer logs had a very nice cluster of bracket fungi which turned out to be Ischnoderma benzoinum, new for me, and in good condition. My 1000x eyepiece on my microscope is working overtime these days and with the help of sophisticated reference books, experinced colleagues from the Cornwall Fungus Recording Group* my life is just a little easier in helping pinpoint many species of brackets and resupinates to species. Also nearby I came across the very white now called Xylodon sambuci, or Elder Whitewash, fairly common but unexpected. Towards the end of the walk I descended down into the main forest track and checking out log piles, fortunately common, I spotted a beautiful crust type bracket, being lemon like in colour and for a moment I thought smelt like one as well. Perhaps this was mind over nose, as it turned out after checking the spores to be Trametes ochracea. Again, new to me - not uncommon but not often recorded. Lastly, headed out of the site, I again spotted a large log pile and on closer inspection there appeared a very glossy pliable bracket, with a smaller attachment.  With the help of only a few spores I could muster, this turned out to be Ganoderma pfifferi, uncommon but seen before. A stunning bracket, and when dried later showed the concentric circles expected not seen here in the photo. Lastly, I spotted a snowball, just one, lingering on the end of a conifer log. This was either a snowball, a white blob or a slime mould called Retyicularia lycoperdon. First time again for me, and blob or not, it was very interesting to see illuminating the dark forest.
* See our new website at: www.cornwallfungusrg.com

Ischnoderma benzoinum - Benzoin Bracket

Trametes ochracea - Ochre Bracket

Trametes ochracea - Ochre Bracket spores

Xylodon sambuci - Elder Whitewash

Ganoderma pfeifferi - Beeswax Bracket

Reticularia lycoperdon slime mould.