Fungi hunting and Chris 3rd August 2011

Chris

Regular readers of my blog will be aware that from time to time I make reference to "Chris" in my narrative.  I am absolutely heart-broken to write that sadly Chris (my beloved partner) has died in a tragic accident.

Without Chris,  most of the photographs taken in the past fifteen months would not have appeared (or in due course will appear) over the next few months on my website.  Chris accompanied me continuously to dangerous and remote areas of woodland, cliff edges, and other rough terrain, ensuring my safety at all times. He held me tight whilst I clung to tree trunks, slippery river banks and other situations too numerable to mention, all over the UK, including the Isle of Skye in Scotland and The Republic of Ireland.

Fundamentally he protected me.  I have now lost my precious Chris and protector. 

When I have recovered, I will carry on taking photographs of British Fungi.

I will continue to make reference to him in the blog until the end of July 2011.

Christopher John Cheshire 1963-2011
'Play, Smile, Think of me, Pray for me'

The Roaches, Staffordshire and Isle of Skye, Scotland, April/May 2011

The Roaches, Staffordshire April 2011

A very hot day indeed.  Drove to The Roaches in Staffordshire.  The Roaches taken from Les roches (Rocks) is an impressive mound of rocks rising to 505m.  The primary reason for this trip was to have a challenging walk.  And a challenging walk it was, scrambling up to the top of rocks with Chris at times pushing me up from behind as my legs were too short to climb from one  rock to the next - sun high in the sky and every where dry and dusty. I did not expect to see any fungi as the ground was dry due to lack of rain.

We walked through Lud's Church which is a hidden chasm with sheer walls 60 feet high.  These walls being damp and covered with moss, lichen and ferns even in a mini drought.  Decided to hunt through the mossy walls and found a minute solitary little fungus.  Cap pure white, 0.3-0.5 cm diameter with white very close gills. The stem being very flexible and almost transluscent.  Currently I cannot id this.

Isle of Skye, May 2011 

This was our first trip to the Isle of Skye so did not quite know what to expect either with the weather or the geography.  An Atlantic low settled over The Inner Hebrides all week, so it was extremely windy with outbursts of heavy rain.  This made the scenes very dramatic and of course brought out the fungi spores.  Spent the week in an old Crofters Cottage.

Briars,  An Entoloma I think.  Greasy cap with the right characteristics.


Trottenish Penninsular, Panaeolus campanulatu or sphinctrinus possibly.
Lovely little fungus, in deep wet grass. Grey mottled cap more buff in the centre.
Nice close dark gills and a beautiful tapering stem with floury texture.


All can now be viewed on Browse 3.

Calke Abbey, Derbyshire and fungus in plant pot, March 2011

Calke Abbey, Derbyshire March 2011

After lunch of soup and the lovely Sussex pasties, and the excitement of photographing Coprinus pseudoradiatus in the dung,  mentioned in the previous blog, we moved on.  It wasn't too long before I spotted a pinkish looking fungus on a tree trunk.  I think it might be Peniophora lycii.  Definitely a delicate pink, encrusted but had some irregular patches. 

Also found a small solitary fungus growing side-ways out of a tree trunk.  Small cap no more than 2 cm diameter, mottled brown/rust colour.  Uneven margin, with very wide gills and a short slightly obese stem.  I cannot identify this at the moment.

Later in March I decided to move some dead leaves from a plant pot in my garden and hiding underneath were some tiny fungi.  Cap no more than 2 cm, rusty brown streaked with purple, particularly at the margin.

Has a delicate rusty brown ring three quarters from the bottom of the stem.  At the moment I am unsure of its identity. 

All of these can be viewed on Browse 3.

Received an email from a student (Ruth Gaona), studying Biology at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse.  She requested permission to use one of my photographs of Jew's Ear (Auricularia auricula-judae) for a specific project.  Here is the link to this website
http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2011/gaona_ruth/nutrition.htm 
This is a very informative and detailed piece of work for anyone wishing to learn more about Jew's Ear.

The subject of Slime-flux (fungus) and a visit to Calke Abbey, Derbyshire

Slime-flux (fungus)

Received an email from a gentleman from Hampshire who has corresponded with me previously.

Whilst out walking in East Meon, Hampshire, he came across what is believed to be a

Slime-flux (fungus).   There are differing opinions as to what exactly is a slime-flux (fungus).

Opinion seems to be that it is a blend of fungi.  A mixture of bacteria and fungus.

It seems that several types of fungi are present and not all of the same genus and because bacteria is present as well,  it has been referred to as a "Microbial Mat".  (Microbial Mat is a term I have extracted from an article from The Association of British Fungi Groups).

The process can be caused by felling or pruning a tree, or a branch snapping off naturally, then fungi and bacterial invasion occurs.

For further information please refer to:

Field Mycology Oct 2006 7(4) p128-131 by Alick Henrici, Joyce Andrews and John Bailey regarding the "Tyntesfield Monster" that puzzled Kew until its identity was established.

Two photographs of the Slime-flux (fungus) can be seen on Browse 3.

With very special thanks for the photographs and pdf article sent by JB.

Calke Abbey, Derbyshire, March 2011

 "Calke Park is a rich and varied landscape, from rolling grassland to ancient oaks.  80 hectares of the 240 hectare park is a National Nature Reserve, of international wildlife and importance and a Site of Special Scientific Interest"

 Source National Trust.

  

Set off for Calke Abbey.  Packed lunch included flask of tomato soup and cold Sussex pasties made the night before.  We were blessed with sunshine, though it was cold.  Two hours passed and no fungi to be seen, until I decided to investigate some cow dung.  Was very excited to discover something.  For obvious hygiene reasons I managed to curb my enthusiasm until after lunch on a nearby log.

I believe the fungi in the dung is Coprinus pseudoradiatus which is very similar to C radiatus but the stem is much taller in C pseudoradiatus.  A lovely delicate little mushroom -  grey cap, with the characteristic grooves of Coprinus. 

  

All photographs can be viewed on Browse 3.

Shining Cliff Wood, Derwent Valley, Derbyshire, December 2010

Shining Cliff Wood (Derbyshire)  is a Special Site of Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the large variety of plants and animals found in this very old wood.  The Woodland is on long term lease to the Forestry Commission. The walk takes you near the Cromford Canal and Tow path. 

Set out with Chris on a very cold December Saturday to Shining Cliff Woods situated in the Derwent Valley, Derbyshire.  Although I originate from Derbyshire this was new territory for me but a very pleasant walk.  We got a little lost but a nice Security Guard still on duty allowed us to take a short-cut through the factory he was guarding.

Very quickly discovered a pure white bracket shaped fungus.  I think it is Crepidotus applanatus.  It was growing in tiers in a dead branch.  It has a very rudimentary stem.  Before long I found a distinctly triangular shaped fungus growing on a pine tree.  This could well be Pastia stiptica.

Moving on to 2011 I spent the weekend in Woking Surrey.  Came across a bracket shaped fungus - though it had gills rather than pores and had a slightly granular soft surface.  I have not identified this yet.

All of the above can now be viewed on Browse 3.

Crich, Derbyshire, Everton and Samson Woods, November 2011

Crich, Derbyshire.

Crich is a village within Amber Valley,  Derbyshire.  Nearby is the famous Crich Tram Museum.  The TV series Peak Practice filmed scenes in Crich, better known in the series as Cardale.

Decided to visit The Crich Memorial Stand on a bright, sunny but cold November day.

Even in Summer it is cold on top of  this steep hill.  Saw a fungus that is buff, and has a very precise and sharp margin.  Stem being coarse and mottled.  So far I have not identified this one.

Also during November I made a return trip to Samson Wood in Nottinghamshire.   Discovered what I believe is Reticular lycoperdon.  A pea size fungus, buff,  in small clusters on a tree trunk.  I was puzzled at first as to what it could be - but on gently squeezing one was surprised to find it full of dry, powdery gleba.

I also made a trip to Everton Wood, Yorkshire/Nottinghamshire.  Spotted a very unusual fungus.  It has a pure white cap and a very shiney brown stem that resembles the colour and texture of highly polished wood or teak.   So far I have not identified this.  Also came across something that has a white cap but with a delicate pink hue.  White distant gills and a grey/translucent stem.  Again, I have not identified this yet.

All of the above can now be seen on Browse 3.

Everton Wood, North Nottinghamshire/South Yorkshire border

November 2010.  Visited a new area called Everton Wood.  En route to this wood we had to drive up a minor road.

The wood is next to open pasture land.  Something caught my eye.  A huge ploughed field that had been heavily manured was full of quite large fungi.  I have never before seen fungi growing in such abundance in a large soiled area.

They were quite large, cap up to 20 cm, whitish grey, all growing or just appearing out of a volva sac.  At this stage I cannot identify them so will seek an opinion.

Also whilst in this field I came across what I think might be peziza vesiculosa which also favour manured soil and is frost resistant.

These can now be viewed on Browse 3