Tony Hardware's Fungi Finds: July 2019

Following a very long dry spell, rain came for a day only and so following this single attempt to hold back climate change I ventured out once again this time heading for somewhere I had never been before. Unusual as it isn't that far from where I live and is shown as a bridleway on the OS map. However I don't think it has seen a horse in decades and I could only just make it halfway before the undergrowth, brambles, etc., covered the track. However, it did uncover some remarkable new species for me and it seems, Cornwall. The first came in the form of a Myxomycete which was found under a log, and displayed the unusual form of tall mesh type fingers with flask type cups acting as the bedrock of the species. Tiny as usual but after some research and spore test it was eventually clear that this was Arcyria nutans. A first for Cornwall from the data you can check with these days. There are many sources of recordings but I mainly follow the BMS data-set and/or FCT. In the same area under another log roll I found a whitish small blobby (sorry mycologist purists) resupinate and after careful examination of spores, etc., this turned out to be the fairly uncommon Bulbillomyces farinosus, but as it has a common English name of Couscous Crust, it can't be that scarce. Around ten records in Cornwall. Nearby on the same log a few very small ochre cups were showing through and these turned out to be the fairly common Bisporella citrina. Alongside these and running down the full length of the substrate were lots of Calocera cornea, or Small Stagshorn. Not content with the many different species I was finding when I had expected little to none when I set out, the clue was a full flowing stream nearby which was keeping the area damp. On another branch on the ground I found another resupinate this time a greyish thin body and looking like every other resupinate you come across. After painstaking checks at home with good results for spores, cystidia and other factors I had narrowed it down to the uncommon Hyphoderma argillaceum. After checking with Pauline Penna (CFRG) she highlighted the slight spore discrepancy and following her advice to check for cyanophillie or blueing of the spores, this was confirmed as the equally uncommon Hypochnicium erkssonii. Still a first for Cornwall once again. Moving further up the track, still unaware of the good finds already made, I fought my way into the last reaches of the track before being engulfed in plantlife. Here I spotted a fallen tree and noticed some Oysterling type fungi in large quantities. This was the common Crepidotus mollis or Peeling Oysterling. However, this had taken me into a dark area of the woodland, where I just about hung onto various branches otherwise would plunge down the steep incline into the stream. Whilst avoiding this fate, I still managed to spot one of Cornwall's favourite finds these days in a small collection on a small twig on the ground of the ever impressive Ping-Pong Bats, or Favolaschia calocera. Always good to find. At the same spot I uncovered a small branch on the ground covered in a resupinate covered with tiny teeth. Once again after careful examination later I found this to be the uncommon, well for Cornwall, Mycoacia fuscoatra. Probably 2/3rd for Cornwall. Previously known as Phlebia f. Lastly, on the same tree I found a large quantity of young fungi growth of Xylaria polymorpha, or Dead Man's Fingers. This showing the smooth grey state not often seen, rather than the bulbous blackened normal mature examples. So for what appeared to be just a look at the wild flowers turned into quite a haul of good species and I'm sure this location will show new fungi in the Autumn also as the area seemed to be a forgotten path through a smattering of old ancient woodland and a disused old quarry.