Sparassis crispa - Cauliflower Fungus- Sandringham Estate Park, Norfolk

 Sparassis crispa - Cauliflower Fungus- Sandringham Estate Park, Norfolk

Just returned from a superb mini break to Norfolk.  Perfect time of year (commencement of fungi season) to pay a visit to the magical Sandringham Estate Park, Norfolk.  Would definitely return.  A great peaceful vibe and variety of trees.  A very impressive park with two walks.  Sun low in the sky and the wonderful smell of leaf mould and fungal spores - so was hopeful of finding some mushrooms.

Cauliflower fungus is, as the common name suggests, resembling a cauliflower.  Even the florets and stem on close inspection look like so.  The texture is elastic and the mass is tight.

Characteristics: large cauliflower mass.  Creamy initially but darkening with age. At the base or near conifers. Up to 60 cm diam. Comprising a large number of flattened wavy lobes all joined together from a central stem which is short.  Texture firm and elastic. Mild sweet smell. Summer to Autumn. Not common.

Xylaria polymorpha - Dead Man's Fingers

 Xylaria polymorpha - Dead Man's Fingers

In this 'new normal' world of social distancing due to Covid-19, I was in a friends garden as you do these days chatting, and found a super example of Dead Man's Fingers.  Certainly at its prime.  Black with fine wrinkles and looking like a collection of Fingers at the base of a tree stump.

Characteristics:  a fruit body that protrudes from the stumps of trees.  The fingers being blunt and up to 8 cm tall and 3 cm wide.  The colour can vary from light brown when immature to black at maturity. Texture is hard and tough with fine wrinkles sometimes visible. To be found on stumps of beech trees or nearby.