Bowithick bog and Penpont river - 5th May 2019

On a clear and beautiful early May day I went recording with the Cornwall Fungus Recording Group once more, this time at a place I have never been to, but one I will certainly return to. What a delight. Middle of nowhere but plenty of parking, unheard of in Cornwall for out of the way places to record. I was hoping to find something new here and wasn't disappointed as within meters of the cars and almost the first bog we looked into, Mitrula paludosa or Bog Beacon was found, with many more in the vicinity. Just after this and in my eagerness (stupidity, I think I heard someone say) to see more I went knee plus down into the bog and had to pull myself up across the surface. I had only just begun the day! Still it dried out soon and it took longer for my pride to return. Still alive, we continued across the moorland following the boggy area as we went. Looking closely at dung often brings surprises, this time showing a Cheilymenia species, probably fimicola after checking the septa. The common Phanaerochaete sordida resupinate was found by Pauline on gorse but as for most white bland resupinates this needed checking under the microscope. A nice fat black horse leech was found nearby - never seen a leech in the UK! Walking out onto the moor I found the common Stropharia semiglobata or Dung Roundhead. Polyporus brumalis or Winter Polypore was surviving the winter still up here on the moor and found on Hawthorn along with Turkeytail. It was on the return journey and heading for the all important lunch box, that I came across some very small agarics on a grassy bank near to the boggy area seen earlier. These looked like Entoloma at first but after much checking through microscopes afterwards by the group, Pauline had found an Arrhenia species. This caused some confusion as A. griseopallida is very similar to A. obscurata, the latter having a tapered up stem, whereas the former is the opposite. Other features suggested the former. Following extensive tests at Kew, this proved to be the rarer of the two and A. obscurata. 3rd for Cornwall. Moving on down past a line of willows over the start of the River Penpont we didn't find a great deal until Pauline went wading in the river and pulled out a stick with little 'orange blobs' on it. This was recognised as a rarely seen ascomycetes sps. Vibrissea truncorum, probably because not everyone goes wading in rivers! Probable 1st for Cornwall.

Mitrula paludosa - Bog Beacon

Mitrula paludosa spores

Stropharia semiglobata -
Dung Roundhead

Stropharia semiglobata spores

Arrhenia obscurata - one of two sites found for this rare species

Arrhenia obscurata

Arrhenia obscurata

Arrhenia obscurata spores

Vibrissea truncorum - aquatic sps.

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.

St Mawgan Woods, Nr. Newquay - 16th February 2019

I went to a new location today as the site looked good to traverse a decent public footpath and by a river, which is always useful in winter months. Starting at the back of the Inn in this delightful village, a path takes you into a wooded area by a river where a large car park is situated, one I'll remember next time! The path moves through Hazel, then past an area of Rhododendron which had just been pruned with the outcast branches still fresh by the path-side. Great for me and unusual as it opened up for easy access to some interesting resupinates. The first was quite obvious as there was a large expanse of pale ochre looking tight fitting fungus on a large recently felled branch. This took some checking later but after spore results and other characteristics turned out to be a seldom recorded Scytinostroma ochroleucum, a fungi normally found on yew. This was my first problem, but solved when I found a few earlier records had been found on Rhododendron, and of all places Kew Gardens so the records were sound. This will be a first for Cornwall. Not far away I found another Yew protagonist in Amylostereum laevigatum, but also grows on this substrate. Uncommon in Cornwall and this would count as only the second record. A more common resupinate in Cylindrobasium laeve was also found here. Nearby, I turned over a very rotten Rhod. branch to discover a wonderful looking myxomycetes. 100's of minuscule glossy black spheres looked back at me challenging me to ID them. This was the myxomycete Metatrichia floriformis, new species for me, as most today.  This being the sixth record for Cornwall. Further on the path widens and areas left and right flatten out to a wider area of Hazel/Beech and a mixture by the River Menalhyl. Here I found an area burnt in the past and odd branches and a large stump had remained. Here I found several good species the first another resupinate in Subulicystidium longisporum. Not common and recorded a few times in Cornwall. Nearby my interest sparked as I found a small group of cup fungi on a burnt branch this turned out to be Lachnum brevipilosum. It has 1mm tiny stems with a small ivory flat cap, fairly common. Inside a large broken up stump I found hidden inside Tapesia fusca, a small pale blue cup fungi not often recorded. First for Cornwall once again. Lastly, and as I was thinking about leaving as my dinner loomed heavily in my head, was a large fungus growing low down on a single sycamore tree. Closer inspection displayed a grotesque looking porous looking fungus, dripping water and sodden throughout. This would have been difficult to collect and dry at home except for my cunning invention (copied from some bright author) of collecting my samples in tin foil. So I was able to return home and to my wife's delight stink the house out for a few minutes. This must be Physisporinus sanguinolentus or Bleeding Porecrust. A good afternoon's foray for sure and very pleasant location.

Mycena tenerrima  - Frosty Bonnet spores

Amylostereum laevigatum on Rhododendron

Amylostereum laevigatum spores

Scytinostroma ochroleucum on Rhododendron

Scytinostroma ochroleucum spores

minute Metatrichia floriformis

Metatrichia floriformis spores
& spiral bands

Subulicystidium longisporum

Lachnum brevipilosum on burnt hazel

Lachnum brevipilosum close up 40x

Tapesia fusca

Physisporinus sanguinolentus hyphae

Physisporinus sanguinolentus  - Bleeding Porecrust.
Very wet condition.

Hawkes Wood Nr. Wadebridge, Cornwall

After days of high winds and rain the clouds dispersed for a while so I was able to 'whip-up' to my local patch at the Cornwall Wildlife Res. at Hawkes Wood. Unfortunately the weather had torn down one or two large beech trees and across the main lower pathway, but still traversable around the woodland. One I was actually grateful for as presented a new site for Xylaria cinerea, a rare ascomycetes species, also one I found only a month ago across the opposite side of the woodland. Here I found a profusion of this tiny speared asco. protruding through moss on a living tree, although sadly now in its death throes. Along the same lower track I came across some small white dots appearing on a rotting branch half hidden under moss. Bringing my 20x handlens is always sensible, never moreso in the winter as small myxomycetes can still be found. Sure enough this proved to be another teaser and after careful examination at home and referencing more and more on-line keys and data with this family, I was able to ID Didymium bahiense var. bahiense. Many fruiting bodies appeared on this wet rotting branch with the stalk colouration of red/brown important as was the eventual spore measurement against similar species. There are lots in this family and every little detail is important. No sooner had I logged all the details of this gem, which proved to be a 1st for Cornwall, then along comes another, also turning out to be 1st for Cornwall. Surprising as 149 records across the UK, obviously not so much in the south-west. This was found on a very dry old oak leaf which had somehow protected itself against the winter weather by being almost hidden at the base of a tree, and whilst looking at old agarics nearby saw this leaf had minute cups on the top of the leaf. This turned out to be Diderma hemisphaericum. It had slightly more definite macro features and helped with its ID.

Xylaria cinerea (7th record Cornwall)

Xylaria cinerea spores 400x

Xylaria cinerea spores 1000x
15.94µm x 6.36µm

Didymium bahiense var. bahiense (1st record Cornwall)

Didymium bahiense var. bahiense
spores 1000x  10.67µm globose

Didymium bahiense 40x top lit

Diderma hemisphaericums (1st Cornwall)

Diderma hemisphaericums (1st Cornwall) on oak leaf

Diderma hemisphaericums

Trecarne, Nr Camelford, Cornwall and further location SE

I wondered into new surroundings in the hope of finding something new, which happened and in one area a new site for a rare fungus, one I had only recently found near my home in Wadebridge.
Starting near a small Hamlet at Trecarne, a stepping stone bridge takes you across the northern reaches of the Camel river in delightful surroundings. I came across an unusual minute white fungus growing out of a rotten oak branch and later discovered this was an early stage of an ascomycetes and was showing the anamorph stage of development. Not seeing a great deal other than finding Skeletocutis vulgaris under a rotten branch, I came upon a mycena lookalike growing on an other rotten oak branch, but on returning I found a dark brown spore print and on closer inspection pointed towards an unusual psathyrella species in P. lutensis. Unfortunately I couldn't obtain the results of the spore size and GEC and so this only goes down as a possible. Shown here in case anyone insists it is!
Continuing on to what I felt could be an interesting woodland further SE, I came upon a small glade of Hazel. These were old trees , covered in moss and in a damp condition as close to a river once again. I was amazed to find several sites here for the elusive Hypocreopsis rhododendri, or Hazel Gloves as you can see why. This is a new site for this rare species so, unfortunately, I can't promote exactly were this is, but I did pass it onto the BMS on my recorded fungi data. Also found across the road was a good condition Artist's Bracket or Ganoderma applanatum. Also here I found a very unusual ascomycetes type species here which remains a mystery, although on dissection gave off a very sweet smell. 

Psathyrella lutensis (1st for Cornwall)

Psathyrella lutensis gills

Psathyrella lutensis stem
showing white fibrillose

Hypocreopsis rhododendri
or Hazel Gloves - new
site for this rare species

Mystery small organism, smelt very sweet
on breaking up. ??
On wet Hazel moss covered trees.

Ganoderma applanatum or Artist's Bracket