Late July to Mid-August - Further good finds and 1st for SW England. Part 2.

During a short trip to Hellandbridge nearby and the Camel Trail where I have found a distinct 'good' spot close to conifers but also a damp area under broadleaf. Unusual and so it proved as I came across a couple of Hymenoscyphus species almost straight away. The first was on a petiole of ash and was an uncommon high white H. albidus, with alongside H. menthae, a small yellow cupped and white based discomycete. During a recce trip to Bishop's Wood for a foray later in September, the northern section was very dry and lacked fungi, but on descending towards the river but on the Hustyn's Wood side came across a couple of Mollisia, M. clavata and M. palustris. On a quick trip to the ever faithful Pencarrow, I only collected two species one of which became an Orbilia, O. delicatula, a 1st for SW England so a great find under rotten Sycamore. In my local patch at Hawkes Wood I found an unusual pluteus species growing atop a fallen oak tree. This worked out after microscopy to be Pluteus plautus. Uncommon and new for me. More importantly, I found a group of around 100 small sessile type hairy basidomycetes and had no idea what they could be, nor could some of my colleagues. On checking with the BMS through their Facebook pages, I was notified that what I had thought this could be was indeed verified and as Phaeomarasmius erinacens. 2nd record for Cornwall and SW England.

Hymenoscyphus albidus

Hymenoscyphus albidus spores

Hymenoscyphus menthae

Hymenoscyphus menthae spores

Mollisia clavata asci/spores

Mollisia clavata

Mollisia palustris asci/spores

Mollisia palustris

Orbilia delicatura paras/spores

Orbilia delicatura

Phaeomarasmius erinaceus

Phaeomarasmius erinaceus hairs

Phaeomarasmius erinaceus cys.basidia

Phaeomarasmius erinaceus

Pluteus plautus

Pluteus plautus

Late July - Mid-August amazing finds, some first for SWest England - 12th August 2020

 The next two posts, inc this one, all promote fungi located over a two week period but in alpha order. The first was an Amanita found in Pencarrow Woods, within the conifer section and patch I have earmarked as being good for all types of fungi. This became A. Excelsa var. excelsa after careful examination and after finding it's 'sister' A. Excelsa spissa close by also. Having found both under conifer I noticed that the spores were 'oversized' and noted as such in my records into FRDBI (BMS) and wonder if one day the coniferous species may well be a new variant, or so as this species seems to want further research. Found at Treraven conifers in the northern section on Rubus I detected Anthostomella rubicola. Not uncommon but nice find here. I located three myxomycetes species all in different locations but for now just list these as Arcyria denudata on 10th of August, Arcyria incarnata (slightly more uncommon) and Collaria arcyrionema as a 'most likely' and 4th for Cornwall record. The next ascomycete species was found on Yellow-grooved Bamboo in a friend's garden and a 'grass' that he was trying to eradicate, which apparently is very difficult. Here I found an unusual erupting species which matched a species of Arthrinium saccharicola as seen in a recently published paper on new species for this genus. The conidia and early growth cells with fine verrocose warts along with size all suggest this. This was the first record I could find anywhere but no doubt would need further looking at to be accepted. I keep a fungarium of all rare species I find so this is No 30 in my library, should one-day somebody may want them! Next up in the local park and on alien plant Bearsbreech I found Crocicreas cyathoideum, new for me but fairly common. The last species reported here came about in a strange way as a small almost invisible asco got caught up on the slide under microscopy and what turned out to be a basidomycete Flagelloscypha minutissima but looked like an asco!  After confusing the mycologists of the world  for 15 mins, I worked it out that this had been corrupted, probably by an even rarer species of ascomycete Tubeufia cerea, (very rare) the spores suggest this as they are unusual shaped in themselves. It is just about visible in the photograph just left of the RH specimen. Dark rounded blob is the best I can describe this. And annoying. Not truly evidence as needed more material to check but 7/8 sepate narrow large curved spores very close to this species. Lesson learned check for the minutest pimple next to the species you are working with!

Amanita Excelsa var. excelsa

Amanita Excelsa var. excelsa spores

Anthostomella rubicola spores

Anthostomella rubicola

Arcyria denudata

Arcyria denudata

Arcyria incarnata

Arcyria incarnata spores

Arthrinium saccharicola conidia

Arthrinium saccharicola

Collaria arcyrionema

Collaria arcyrionema

Crocicreas cyathoideum

Flagelloscypha minutissima hairs

Flagelloscypha minutissima (with asco hideaway)