Autumn Fungi

[Cybershot]

In view of the lousy weather since mid July and the fact that over the last three days on forays locally in Minley Wood, at The Coombes and in Morgaston Wood it is blatently evident that the fungi have decided to put in an appearance en masse, then I submit it is time to launch a new thread in celebration of the start of the 2010 Season. By all accounts this is well supported not only througout the UK but also on continental Europe judging by Shirley's recent postings.

David

A selection of images from recent forays:

[Cybershot]

Cep lasagne is on tonite's menu - delicious!

[Cybershot]

And just by way of endorsing Autumn's arrival an early find* ...........



Amanita muscaria
Fly Agaric

Guess I win again this year Shirley

David

* never found one in August before.

[goosey]

Originally Posted by Cybershot

Guess I win again this year Shirley

Doh!!! Never fear, I will get you next year .

What a great find! Were there more?
The earliest I have found them was 6th September back in 2008.
I was out today looking for Fly agarics and I felt rather hopeful but I didn't spot any . I found quite a few other Amanita's, death caps, false death caps, and pantha caps but not those lovely red spotty ones I was after.

[Cybershot]

Originally Posted by goosey

Doh!!! Never fear, I will get you next year .

What a great find! Were there more?
The earliest I have found them was 6th September back in 2008.
I was out today looking for Fly agarics and I felt rather hopeful but I didn't spot any . I found quite a few other Amanita's, death caps, false death caps, and pantha caps but not those lovely red spotty ones I was after.

Only the single specimen. And as far as other Amanitas are concerned only Blushers and Tawny Grisette, certainly no Death Caps or Panther Caps and, most surprisingly for around here, no sign of False Death Caps yet.

The vagaries of fungi fruiting always keeps us on our toes and never ceases to surprise. This season I am astonished (no change there then) at the sudden emergence in the last week and the profusion of some species I have only ever seen before in ones and twos such as Boletus rubellus and Leccinum versipelle. The size and numbers within troops of those varieties known for this growth pattern make me incredulous (e.g. Brown Rollrim)

We entertained friends last night and dined handsomely on Cep Lasagne from collections of Boletus Edulis made over the last two days. Have never found quite so many in this area before and it's not for the lack of trying because I knew they were out there - just looking in the wrong place at the wrong time (that seems to vary too) previously!

Cheers

David

[Cybershot]

A bank holiday Monday foray with fellow 'Wabber' Leif Goodwin saw sunshine and some special species, four of which were new to me; together with the previously unidentified Suillus viscidus we also spotted Inocybe lanuginosa, Pluteus phlebophorus, and Calyptella capula on dead nettle stem.

[goosey]

Looks like an excellent foray or two you have had of late David, love the earpick fungus - I am yet to find any of those.

I was a bit short of time this morning, and had been in a dilemma trying to decide between a trip to the NP which should have proved fruitful or the park where I haven’t been to for ages. I am pleased I plumped for the park in the end and had a few nice finds and my hour and a half wasn’t wasted. (still no Amanita muscaria)
Sulphur tuft must be a Autumn indicator in the fungi world and is already appearing all over the place, I saw my first on 28th Aug.
Today I saw my first beefsteak fungus (Fistulina hepatica) of the year and my real pleasure were loads of Helvella crispa, I didn’t find any last year but in 2008 I found a few in the same spot as today.
There was a great looking Russula, again this species has surprised me. When I thought I had seen every Russula there is this last month (OK that is an exaggeration but you know what I mean!) I found a real beauty, I think it was a Russula ionchlor, the purple/pinky/blue cap almost looked metallic.
There were some huge Amethyst deceivers on a tree stump, much bigger and better developed than any I have seen this year.


1 + 2 .Helvella crispa
3. Russula ionchlor
4. Fistulina hepatica
5. Amethyst deceiver
6. Inocybe Sp.
7. Lactarius Sp.

1. 2. 3.
4. 5. 6.
7.

[goosey]

From The Zuid Kennemerland NP -03-09-2010

Helvella elastica the second Helvella species I have seen this week



Xylaria Longipes - Dead moll's fingers. I don't think I have seen so many together before.



I forgot to mention that I saw my first Poecelain fungus of the year, very small but white and glupie, past the olive colour stage but not much larger. I binned all the piccies except one as they were rubbish - that is my proof picture incase I am challenged!

[goosey]

At last! A trip to the Hoge Veluwe NP in Gelderland yesterday and I found My fly agaric amanita muscaria - just the one but who cares! Actually this is the earliest I have ever found them (don't know why I was panicing, apart from Cybershot had already got his ) beeting my ealiest record by two days.
Fly Agaric



The HVNP was awash with fungi, lots I have already come across this year but plenty of new stuff to me completely aswell as things I have seen other years.
I haven't ID'd everything yet so will add them as and when.
But here are a few for now

1. Phallus impudicus - stinkhorn All the gleba was gone but it stank to high heaven and the ants and flies were still enjoying it.
2. Sparassis crispa A first for me.
3. Postia subcaesia - Blueing bracket


1. 2. 3.

[goosey]

These are also from The Hoge Veluwe (04-09-2010)

1. Phaeolus schweinitzii -Dyers maze gill , there were four of these fantastic looking species, large and colourful, found under pine.
2. Phaeolus schweinitzii -Dyers maze gill I think this is a young fruiting body, there were two a couple of cm away from each other.
3. Cortinarius bolaris Found under pine and a first for me
4. Calocera viscosa - Yellow Staghorn Fungus Lots of this about in clumps of varous sizes.


1. 2. 3. 4.

[Cybershot]

With little time for actual forays, I certainly can't match Shirley's records of late but on my meanderings over the long weekend I did manage to spot a few:



Boletus luridiformis, Boletus radicans, Amanita rubescens, Amanita fulva,
Gymnopilus junonius and Russula ochroleuca



Lactarius pyrogalus, Lepiota cristata and Leucoagaricus leucothites

[goosey]

I found a few old favourites this morning . Autumn is really on the way

1. Geastrum triplex - Collared earthstar I found seven in a new location.
2. Helvella Sp. I thought H. spadicea because the cap looks right, but the stipe is a lot more ribbed than my book indicates they should be. These were larger than any othe Helvella species I have found 7-8cm tall and there were 15+, usually I only find 1-3 in one place
3. Phallus impudicus -stinkhorn - Totally gross! I have never seen one with so many flies on! I couldn't bring my self to remove the leaf and grass to expose it a bit more!
4. Oudemansiella Mucida -Porcelain fungus I saw my first on the 3rd, but there were hundreds today of all stages of development.


1. 2. 3.

4.

[Cybershot]

I'm off to the New Forest tomorrow for some much needed R & R but before I go I just want to share a couple of gems from yesterday's foray with fellow ABFG members JP (John Parsons) and Les Bridgeland, when we were delighted to see an avenue in the larch plantation strewn with Spathularia flavida and an abundance of Otidea onotica in the mossy pathside in the deciduous fringes on the edge of the copse in Pamber Forest.

[Cybershot]

Couldn't resist one last quick trip to Minley Wood this morning in the sunshine before setting out for south Hampshire :

[goosey]

My first trip to the NPZK since the 9th September and it was rather good wander. There was lots of fungi, so much I was almost tripping over it. A few death caps are lingering, plenty of Amethyst Deceivers, Geastrum triplex, Mycena pura and loads of brown and white things which I didn't find too interesting , but one interesting white one I have yet to ID.
This was the first time in weeks I didn't find a Phallus impudicus.

1. Not my first Amanita pantharina's of the year and looking a bit worse for wear but it was the first I have found in the NPZK for two years.

2. The first open Amanita muscaria of the year, I have found some babies but this is what I have been after. There were 6 in exactly the same place as I found some last year. I did look here on the 9th and nothing but the undergrowth was a lot longer than it is now.
The other good thing is I have found a new place with fly agarics .

3. Lovely waxcaps. Parrot waxcaps - Hygrocybe psittacina, green, brown/yellowish one. I am still hoping to find red and purple ones for the colour variation thread
Colour Variation in Fungi
4. and Hygrocybe nigrescens - Blackening Waxcaps

5. Clavulina cinerea, a first for me, they had a real violet/grey hue and there were loads of clumps.

1. 2.

3.

4.

5.

[Drosera]

I am no expert but the numbers of different types I see on my short walk through a wood to work is incredible. New ones every day, even appearing during the day to be seen when I am walking home.

[goosey]

Originally Posted by Drosera

I am no expert but the numbers of different types I see on my short walk through a wood to work is incredible. New ones every day, even appearing during the day to be seen when I am walking home.

Lovely to see aren't they, the shapes and colours are amazing. Watch out you might get hooked! You would soon be at a disadvantage though when everything is covered in snow for such a long time!
To be honest fungi started off as somerthing to keep me occupied in the months that to actually see a moth was a real premium and there was no chance of seeing butterflies and dragonflies, but I have found fungi has started to take center stage. I think because it all kicked off so early this year and everything is abundant and even now when insects are still on the wing I am getting pulled to the fungi I spot.

[Drosera]

Thanks for your comments Goosey! I think I will continue to photograph instead of eating them

[goosey]

Originally Posted by Drosera

Thanks for your comments Goosey! I think I will continue to photograph instead of eating them

I have just seen some of your finds in the gallery - what a good forray, lots to see.
This is a lovely photo of a Parasol - Macrolepiota procera showing two stages in one image.