Daldinia concentrica
Daldinia concentrica has various common names ie Cramp Balls and King Alfred's Cakes.
It grows on a variety of trees but does favour beech and ash and looks like small black balls of hard coal. When young it is reddish brown with a greyish tinge, turning black in full maturity. It can reach up to 7cm in diameter. The flesh consists of concentrical zones.
Yesterday I visited Bottom Wood, near Matlock, Derbyshire. I've seen Daldinia concentrica on many occasions over the years but have always wanted to see the 'internal' concentrical ridge/zone structure. Easier said than done, as the fruit body is extremely hard and I always thought a hack-saw! would be required to cut one in half.
The Daldinia I came across yesterday and touched, crumbled in half and there before me was the concentrical structure I had wanted to see for many years. What struck me is that they look just like the 'rings' on tree trunks that have been cut down and are counted to ascertain the age of the tree. On further research it seems that each zone layer on the Daldinia is representative of each season of growth. I counted eight zones so presumably this example has had eight growing seasons.
Below is a photograph showing the concentrical zones and a mature example.
Bovista
What is a Bovista? A Bovista is a true puffball. It is usually round, oval or pear shaped and either lacks a stem or narrows into a stem like base. Is quite small and measures no more than 4cm to 6cm across. Some are attached to the ground by either a single cord known as a mycelial strand or others can be attached by masses of slender strands also known as mycelial strands. The texture can vary but most tend to feel dry like parchment. Some are smooth, others flaky and some compromise minute pointed or flattened scales. The colour is variable from whitish grey to dark reddish brown.
The apical hole can be regular or irregular in shape and the spores are mostly brown and powdery. Usually grows in small groups of two or three on soil, grassland and pastures. Also coastal regions near or in sand dunes.
Last week I returned to Norfolk. When making my way to the Holkham Beach I spotted a small group of Bovista growing in pasture land very close to the beach. This one was attached to the ground by masses of strands in sandy soil. A spore print analysis was not done as I was away from home so an absolute identification could not be undertaken but it might be Bovista dermoxantha (pusilla).
Two photographs below and these will appear on www.fungiworld.co.uk in the future.
Geastrum triplex (Collared Earthstar)
I received a phone call from a friend who'd spotted an 'unusual looking' fungus growing behind his green house. I duly requested a photograph to be sent via mobile phone and it appeared to be the Collared Earthstar, but of course I needed to see for myself.
Despite being Christmas Eve, it was important I took a look before it, or they vanished.
There were three or four growing a few feet apart. I have not seen many Earthstar but when I have, my first thoughts are how tiny they are in reality. As even when the rays are fully formed this fungus would fit in the palm of your hand. These were a little past their best with the rays looking a little brown and sodden but the 'bulb' was still firm and a nice grey colour.
The Collared Earthstar more than likely is the most common of the Geastrum.
The characteristics are as follows:
Initially the 'bulb' is only 5cm across. It opens out to about 10 cm and has between 4 and 8 pointed rays. The spore sac is greyish in colour and has a central pore. The rays grow more upright with age and eventually slightly turn back on themselves. This can cause them to crack a little. The spore sac looks as though it is sitting on a little collar.
It usually grows in leaf litter near to deciduous trees between late Summer to Autumn.
Below is a photograph. The rays are past their best.
A more detailed photograph can be seen at www.fungiworld.co.uk on Browse 5.
Recently a friend of mine, Dave Wood, a writer, presented me with a hymn that he'd been inspired to write after a fungus foray. In actual fact, he sang it to me to the tune of a hymn - it moved me so much I asked him to send me the words and here they are!
I thought this posting would make a nice change from my usual informative style of writing. Fungi are well worthy of a hymn in praise I think!
a hymn to fungal foray - geastrum schmidelii (dwarf earthstar fungus)
(Cloud Mist – Derbyshire)
out the mud the caps come peeping
winter's breath that's deep and seeping
trail of fungus goes on creeping
up towards the clouds spun grey
see from dirt such beauty grows
hunting in the highs and lows
we are gatherers in the rows
eyes in wonder at the spoils
boxes - baskets - palms and fingers
stepping on then stop to linger
nettles stabbing as we find
another plus to our foray
here's our earthstar - all eyes flicker
pickers ramblers - hearts and tickers
orange blues and browns from pickers
gathered round as if to pray
all is laid out flat before us
delicate and soft (luxurious)
here's to stalking hands that curious
hunt the gold that's grown in clay
copyright Dave Wood
Nottinghamshire writer, Dave Wood, creates poems to commission for all kinds of life experiences. He produced 'A Hymn to Fungal Foray' as a response to a mushroom hunt by a local Nottinghamshire nature group. Examples of his work can be seen at http://specialpoetry.blogspot.co.uk/.
Hypocreopsis rhododendri - Hazel Glove Fungus
During November 2015, I received a pleasant email from a lady who had discovered my website. She very kindly sent me some photographs of a fungus called Hypocreopsis rhododendri - Hazel Glove Fungus. Aptly named as it resembles tiny rubber gloves.
This fungus is most likely to be seen on the west coast of Ireland, Scotland and possibly Devon and Cornwall in the UK, but also in South West France and the Appalachian Mountains in the US. The lady who sent me the photographs found this one on the West Coast of Mull. It grows on Hazel trees. It can be found between August and March and reaches a diameter of 4-8cm. It is classed as rare and threatened.
Facts extracted from: Scottish Fungi.
Photograph kindly supplied by Sue Wilson.
I have been prompted to write this blog as I read an article over the Christmas period about a fungus called Willow Glove Fungus, the Latin name being Hypocreopsis lichenoides. This was found in April 2015 at Gordon Moss, Scottish Borders on a willow bush. The Willow Glove Fungus is even more rare and is classed as critically threatened and is listed in the Red Data Book. This fungus apparently "resembles a tiny hand with gloved fingers clasping a stem". Source: The Berwickshire News.
Hazel Glove Fungus will feature on www.fungiworld.co.uk in the future.
Tulostoma brumale (Winter Stalkball)
I felt in need of a break before Christmas so spent 5 days in a new area for me - East Anglia. The exact location being Brancaster which is very near to Wells. Such an enchanting area and so well preserved - the houses - including new build, all in keeping with knapped flint exteriors.
The weather helped which was so kind for November...... raw cold but dry. Empty huge beaches just the tonic. Nice fresh fish to eat, friendly folk and peace and quiet.
Nearby is a beach called Snettisham Scalp which is very close to Hunstanton.
It has plenty of gravel paths and sand dunes. Surprisingly there was a fair amount of fungi around for such a cold, dry spell. Amongst the gravel in short grass I found the lovely and uncommon Winter Stalkball. It is so tiny I thought it was a scattering of gravel. This fungus is very easily overlooked.
Here are the characteristics:
Cap - up to 1 cm across. This is dark cream to pale ochre and is speckled with minute warts. It has a perfectly circular apical pore which is so tiny it is easily missed, thus allowing the escape of pores. The stem up to 4 cm tall is quite slender and fibrous, being grey or grey/brown and often covered in sand. It is found in sandy dunes, specifically with calcereous soil, in moss. This mushroom is uncommon and not edible.
It is less likely to be seen in northern Britain but can be seen in mainland Europe including southern Scandinavia.
This mushroom will feature in www.fungiworld in the future.
Chalara fraxinea
Ash Dieback Disease first appeared in the United Kingdom in February 2012.
In an article I discovered on the BBC website today, the Woodland Trust has given a warning. The warning is this - we may have to consider a future without Ash Trees.
The areas most at risk are Norfolk, Suffolk, Kent, East Sussex and Northumberland.
The Woodland Trust has suggested to landowners that they plant different species adjacent to dying Ash Trees so that they are replaced when they die.
A pilot scheme is being offered offering 1,000 subsidised 'disease recovery packs', each with 45 native trees.
Source BBC.
