Tony Hardware's Fungi Finds: September 2021

Tuesday, 28 September 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021 - Uncommon and rare species

A very dry September didn't help a lot but like all fungi it takes something drastic before they stop coming through. The first noted here was the relatively common Bulgaria inquinens, added here to just show the unusual spore configuration. On cow dung at Woodhouse Fields nearby I found the fairly uncommon Cheilymenia granulata, mostly young FB's but a few mature examples provided the microscopy needed. In nearby Bowbridge, my local patch, I found a single growth of Lesser Burdock or Arctium minus with a heavily encrusted rust on the leaves. This was Golovinomyces depressus. Must have been named after a bad day. Quite lovely to look at. Again at Bowbridge and at my almost favourite Willow spot by a small stream I found a Hebeloma, which as usual was difficult to ID species, but digging deep this became H. leucosarx. Not uncommon. Also found here but on a thick Rubus stem I re-found the very rare Hysterobrevium smilacis. This species I found earlier this year under the same Willow, but on the wood substrate. That was the 3rd record for the UK, so the Rubus find was the 4th!! Also widespread but nor often recorded I found on Hazel Nut the long-stemmed Hymenoscyhus fructigenus. Probably quite common but you need to dig around a little to find these. At Sapperton Woods and in a very dry spell I still found a single Inocybe, or as now renamed Inosperma maculatum. Fairly uncommon only. Also while here and only a few metres away were a few Russula olivacea, which gave me a merry dance around the options most Russulas have. Having the most up-to-date ref books is essential to enable species ID. Nearby there are two wonderful high-elevation 'Commons' which really are ancient grasslands looked after for public use, inc loose cow herds, which makes interesting meetings sometimes, especially on the roads there. Here at Rodborough Common, in the full glare of the sun but close to Common Rockrose mounds I found a few Lactarius I have only found once before a few years ago which I couldn't ID at the time. More experience and these were obviously Lactarius evosmus, especially after tasting them. Fiery! Not many records. A nice find was a grouping in the grasses of Macrolepiota mastoidea.

Bulgaria inquinans

Cheilymenia granulata ascospores

Cheilymenia granulata

Golovinomyces depressus

Golovinomyces depressus ascospores

Hebeloma leucosarx

Hebeloma leucosarx spores 1000x

Hymenoscyhus fructigenus

Hymenoscyhus fructigenus ascospores

Hysterobrevium smilacis

Hysterobrevium smilacis ascospores 1000x

Inosperma maculatum cheilocystidia

Inosperma maculatum

Lactarius evosmus

Lactarius evosmus spores 1000x

Macrolepiola mastoidea cheilcystidia

Macrolepiola mastoidea

Russula olivacea

Russula olivacea spores 1000x and cap

Sunday, 12 September 2021

AUGUST 2021 - Uncommon and rare species

August proved one of the best months yet this year. It all started with Amanitas - the first found in parkland in Gt. Malvern (Worcs.), while being entertained by a brass band - something my long suffering wife and I enjoy. I spend 15 mins hurrying around the park and found absolutely nothing - except one golden topped periscope jutting out of the grass, fortunately in an area not frequented by dogs or people. This turned out to be A. crocea, first for me and Worcs. The VERY next day I went for a walk from home to my 'local' Stroud Cemetery. Again nothing - except a wonderful group of exceeding rare Amanita solitaria, rare in this part of the world at least. Only found on south coast normally. Excepted as a 'Reader's Find' by Field Mycology in their next issue. Even more unusual bearing in mind the name - this was a group of seven FBs AND was associated only with Yew - normally Fagus. Happy days. Other interesting species inc. Ciboria batschiana on a Knopper Gall nut from oak, Conocybe pygmaeoaffins (3rd Gloucs) and on the same nut! Mycena rhenana, plus Chaetocalathus craterellus all of which were found in a plantation area close to The Severn, mostly of Oak and even Pyrus.

An unusual Tomentella species of resupinate was found in my local woodland being T. ferruginea. This is the genus that have odd star spiked spores, but look very much like each other. On my Birthday in mid-August I was treated to a steam train ride and on board treats from Taunton to Minehead. Here while waiting for the bus back to the station (a Bus!) I spotted a few of something growing on the sand over the prom. wall in Marron Grass. Leaping to observe, I came back with Psathyrella ammophila - only the second location where this was found in Somerset! Glad the bus was late. Taking time out at a new location in West Berks with my fungi friend Richard we explored the delightful mixed woodland and sometimes boggy (even in heatwave) areas. Here I manage to find Cortinarius rubellus, and seemed to be in many locations here. Reported as rare in south, not sure I except that after today and seeing this in Cornwall also. Naturally I didn't taste it, otherwise I wouldn't be writing this report right now. A couple of similar species of Inocybe were found also, I. ovatocystis (recently recognised) and I. stellatospora. 2nd and 1st for Berkshire somehow. A nice Russula nitida made it a great day. Lastly, and most intriguing was finding what looked very much like Kuehneromyces mutabilis but on Abies in an old planation type area in Cirencester Park. Problem is it is rarely seen on conifer so needed more attention. This I gave it and found the cystidia did not match mutabilis closely at all, being more capitate or clavate. Deeper research came up with K. leucolepidotus, which looks very similar but has the desired cystidia. In the end I entered this as a maybe, as key features were either hidden or lacked sufficient data on the species to confirm.