Fungal Forage
3rd Nov 2013 by admin
Following the storm we’ve had some branches down, some blocking the access, but once cleared the glory of fungi has been revealed at Fromus Valley. There is a new report from our botanical recorder Laurie Forsyth via the Botany page, and this is from our Fungi expert Neil Mahler:
In the case of those lovely blue/green Stropharia species below, the differences between identical species is very small or you have cross-over characteristics such as short lived stem rings and white scaly remains on the cap and they never completely tally which is so frustrating. Other books talk of one species having a ‘peppery smell’ and that is all down to conjecture.
Above could be either Stropharia aeruginosa, S.caerulia or S.pseudocyanea.
Below, a snowy waxcap and a parrot waxcap (the remnant of green in the stalk is the clue):
These (below) were very common in the pasture – Entoloma sericeum (Silky Pinkgill).
They are very dark when damp, but turn silky and more pale when dry:
Below is the Stropharia species again which could even be a different species to those shown above. Notice some are more blue than others which is down to the rain leeching out the colours ...or, it could just be that these are the paler version. A mine field! In the old days, these would just be called the Verdigris Agaric, but three species are now recognised.
Next is Bolbitius titubans formerly called Bolbitius vitilinus. These are closely related to Ink Caps and quickly 'dissolve' - a very typical grassland species.
These were on a log by the access track – Marasmius ramiellis:
My reward! A young Horse Mushroom (below) growing beside the track — this disappeared into me!
The example below was not really on the reserve, as I spotted this on top of the bank beside the access track on the edge of the 'stubble field' when I was trying to work out the best way of clearing up the blocked path - this is Volvariella gloiocephala, commonly called the Stubble Field Rose Gill. Note that it emerges from a sac or volva, and that the gill colour is pink.
The deadly Amanita species (which this can be confused with) also emerge from a volva, but their gills are always white.