A Mycological Meander at Oakwood Hill Bream

A report on the GNS field meeting on 14th October, by Alan Waterman.

A Mycological Meander at Oakwood Hill Bream, also rather regularly referred to as a Fungal Foray. This Fungi walk, was on Saturday 14th October and lead by John Holden from the Dean Fungus Group. It was attended by 8 people.

Recent preliminary excursions by John and by Alan Waterman had cast some doubt on the number and variety of species we might encounter, it seemed like a poor season for toadstools. However in the event this proved not to be the case. John explained the route he proposed to take at the beginning of the walk and this would include some non native coniferous woodland to start with followed by Oak woodland and then ending with mixed deciduous, as it turned out the Coniferous woodland provided such a variety of species that it was the only region covered and time precluded the rest of the walk.

Mycological meander because maybe fungal foray conjures up more of a collecting trip with an eye on the species with special culinary delights. John was keen to avoid talk of poisonous versus edible and concentrated on diagnostic features to enable identification. Two other members of the group also had quite extensive knowledge of the fungi and all the species found were identified down to at least genus level but generally to the species. Particularly interesting was the use of smell in identifying some of the species, aniseed, burnt rubber, raw potato and a strong mealy (flour) smell were all encountered. John explained to one enthusiastic sniffer that it is best to sniff the cap side rather than the gill side of a fungus to avoid inhaling spores which might be harmful.

Often identification was accompanied by some little anecdote about the fungus for example the rather bright blue cup fungus (Chlorociboria aeruginascens) which tends to grow on Oak also stained the Oak wood bright blue and this is then used by the marquetry workers producing the famous Tonbridge ware items.

Not much else was seen on the walk, just a few birds, Jays, Buzzard, not surprising given that we were in Coniferous woodland and our eyes were concentrating on the ground in front of us. There was a good coverage of mosses and particularly impressive were some banks of one called Pseudoscleropodium and it was on this moss that a small green stripped caterpillar was found, no doubt it had fallen from the trees above.

This is a list of fungal species encountered.
Current Name English Name Associate Substrate
Amanita citrina var. citrina False Deathcap Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Clitocybe nebularis Clouded Agaric Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Clitocybe odora Anise Agaric Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Clitopilus prunulus The Miller Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
* Conocybe arrhenii Ringed Conecap Angiosperm Wood twig fallen
Coprinellus disseminatus Trooping Crumblecap Angiosperm Wood stum
Coprinellus micaceus Glistening Inkcap Angiosperm Soil & Leaf litter
Crepidotus mollis Peeling Oysterling Angiosperm Wood twig fallen
* Cystolepiota hetieri Hetier’s Dapperling Angiosperm Soil & Leaf litter
Gymnopus dryophilus Russet Toughshank Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Hebeloma mesophaeum var. mesophaeum Veiled Poison Pie Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Infundibulicybe gibba Common Funnelcap Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Inocybe lilacina Lilac Fibrecap Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Lepiota cristata Stinking Dapperling Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Mycena leptocephala Nitrous Bonnet no data Wood stump
Mycena rosea Rosy Bonnet Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Pluteus cervinus Deer Shield Angiosperm Wood stump
Pseudoclitocybe cyathiformis The Goblet Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Daedaleopsis confragosa Blushing Bracket Angiosperm Wood branch fallen
* Heterobasidion annosum Root Rot Picea abies Wood trunk fallen
* Ramaria stricta Upright Coral Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Boletus edulis Cep, Penny Bun Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Hygrophoropsis aurantiaca False Chanterelle Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Imleria badia Bay Bolete Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Xerocomellus chrysenteron Red-Cracked Bolete Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Calocera viscosa Yellow Stagshorn Picea abies Wood branch fallen
Geastrum triplex Clollared Earthstar Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Lycoperdon excipuliforme Pestle Puffball Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Lycoperdon perlatum Common Puffball Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Russula delica Milk-white Russula Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
* Russula queletii Fruity Russula Picea abies Wood branch fallen
Scleroderma verrucosum Scaly Earthball Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Exidia nucleata Crystal Brain Angiosperm Wood branch fallen
Chlorociboria aeruginascens Green Elfcap Angiosperm Wood branch fallen
Hypomyces chrysospermus Bolete Mould Boletus sp. Fruitbody
Otidea alutacea Tan Ear Picea abies Soil & Leaf litter
Xylaria hypoxylon Candlesnuff Angiosperm Wood stump

* = “probably”

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