I recently discovered a new walk from Ambergate to Crich (Derbyshire), very pleasant during October with the trees changing colour and a steady incline to the top. About half way up I could smell the distinct mealy odour of mushrooms but couldn't find anything.
The good news is that on the return walk I did further investigations and discovered a huge group of mushrooms covering a dead log.
Initially I thought this was Armillaria mellea (Honey Fungus). The cap characteristics looked much like Honey Fungus but the stem was most definitely different. Therefore having consulted with one of my contacts we think it is A. gallica. It was grey below the stem and the base of the stem was bulbous and yellow stained. It had fibres scattered on it. The ring was 'cotton like' in texture just like the Honey Fungus, but less distinct.
This fungus is not common in the UK. The cap size is slightly smaller and darker than Honey Fungus being about 4-10 cm across. When young it has a partial veil. The gills are firstly pale and then concolorous with the cap and are slightly decurrent. The stem is
dark brown to grey below the ring and is covered in fibres. Can be seen from June to November on dead stumps in mixed woods.
 |
| Large group |
 |
| Showing the grey stem with fibres and bulbous base |
 |
| Showing fibrous dark stem with gills |
 |
| Showing the cap with the dark scales at the centre |
No comments:
Post a Comment