Phaeomarasmius erinaceus

Phaeomarasmius erinaceus 16th June 2012

Last Saturday in the drizzle I set off on my bike to visit a friend.  En route she texted me to say she was running 30 minutes late.  Unknown to me at the time this turned out to be a blessing.

Despite the appalling light and heavy drizzle I decided to spend the 30 minutes killing time by visiting the nearby Attenborough Nature Reserve and search for fungi.   It was so muddy I had difficulty riding my bike. It  wasn't long before I passed by a willow tree low to the ground.  On a branch very close to the ground and obscured by a higher branch were two tiny little ochraceous fungi.

The cap being 1 cm diameter,  scaly and with a paler, fringed margin.  The stem being concolorous with cap but darker and with coarse scales.  Being curved and no ring.  My first impression was that it looked like a

Pholiota squarrosa in miniature.  Managed to get a few decent photographs despite the bad light and persistent drizzle.

According to the Fungal Records Database of Britain and Ireland, 235 have been recorded, 51 being in Scotland.

Two have been previously recorded in Nottinghamshire and my find at Attenborough Nature Reserve, Nottinghamshire

will be added to the database, making a third, now that a spore print analysis proves a positive i.d.  Thanks to Richard Rogers, Notts Fungi Group for carrying this out.

My images will be added to Browse 4 at fungiworld.co.uk in a few months time.

                                                                                                                                              

500th image on Fungiworld

500th image on Fungiworld

Well, the Queen celebrates 60 years on the throne and this weekend I up-loaded on fungiworld my 500th photograph of British fungi in 6 years! A mini achievement - hard work but still exciting and fulfilling.

The 500th image being one I cannot accurately identify.  If anyone can help me out please contact me. I think it is a Hygrophorus - it has all the characteristics ie waxy texture.  The stem is pure white with grey or black fibres scattered on it.  The cap is grey but peeling in places.

On a Winter walk during December along the canal path from Beeston to Nottingham I spotted a lovely fungi which might be Lepista sordida.  It was certainly an unusual colour being pinkish/lilac and brown all at the same time!  Also residing in a hedgerow which is characteristic of Lepista sordida.

Anyway, on reaching a suitable eatery, I rather enjoyed my mushroom soup! and garlic bread which sustained me for the return walk which was directly into the winter sunshine.

These can now be viewed on Browse 4.

Dale Abbey November 2011

Dale Abbey November 2011

Dale Abbey is a village situated 6 miles east of Derby.  It has what is probably one of the smallest churches in the country (All Saints) measuring just 25 feet by 26 feet and shares a roof with an adjoining farmhouse. Behind the church is ancient woodland containing mixed trees and also a cave known locally as Hermit Cave.  This was carved out of sandstone by a local baker in the 12th century who wished to live life as a recluse.  This measures just 6 yards by 3 yards.

Set off one Saturday November morning with a friend plus her two dogs. The sun shone though it was bitterly cold.  No fungi other than Jew's Ear to be seen in the ancient wood which was surprising.  Thankfully, we had brought along flasks with soup and so decided to sit on a bench in the little grass area surrounding the tiny church.  I wandered off to inspect the grass and found two Hygrocybe ceracea (I think), lovely bright yellow and cheerful looking.  The cap being not quite so conical as other Hygrocybe.

Also during November I visited Nottingham University Campus and found a small cluster of  Rickenella fibula (orange mosscap).  These were in thick mossy grass in a damp area near fir trees.  Again, cheerful bright orange colour, deeper in the middle of the cap and tiny being no bigger than 0.5-1 cm diam.

These fungi can be viewed on Browse 4.

Coprinus Lagopides and Clathrus archeri

November 2011

On a winter walk around the Nottingham University Campus, I nearly missed what I think is the very delicate Coprinus Lagopides.  A small group of three were nearly hidden in tall grass.  Lagopides is very similar to Lagopus. Definite identification though is mainly distinguished by the spores. I did not carry out such a test.  They were so delicate and fragile that I feared that if I got too close they would collapse.  The cap being virtually transparent.

Clathrus archeri

Received an email and photograph of Clathrus archeri.  Thrilled about this as it is rare in the UK.

Mainly in Southern Europe but slowly spreading to some southern counties in England.  This one found in

Hampshire.  It resembles a pink or red star fish with between 4-8 arms.  Erupts from a whitish egg and the spore mass is dark olive green and is foul smelling just like Stink horn. 

Both can now be viewed on Browse 4.

Crucibulum - Bird's Nest Fungi

Bird's Nest Fungi  - October 2011

Received two photographs of Common Bird's Nest - Crucibulum laeve taken in Ely, Cambridgeshire.

Full description and acknowledgement given on fungiworld.

What is Bird's Nest Fungi?

A fungi in which the spores develop in small egg-like baskets better known as (peridioles).

There are several types: namely

Common Bird's Nest  Crucibulum laeve, which can be viewed on Browse 4 of fungiworld.

Fluted Bird's Nest  Cyathus striatus

Field Bird's Nest  Cyanthus olla

and

Nidularia deformis

A return to Scotland - October 2011

A return to Scotland - October 2011

Returned to Scotland for the second time in eight weeks.  Should have been bird-watching in Majorca with Chris but due to previous mentioned sadness (see August blog) this could no longer be the case.  I couldn't bare to stay at home so my kind friends invited me to stay with them.  Still numb from events I set off once again.

A marathon railway journey (nine hours) due to Saturday engineering works.  When I got to York the train took a massive detour to Carlisle instead of the east coast route up to Edinburgh.  This little tour took 1.5 hours but the bonus was new territory for me and stunning views.  Once in Edinburgh the train stopped for a further 30 minutes before setting off again for Aberdeen, allowing us to stretch our legs and smokers were directed to 'smokers corner'!.  Different anyway.

On the outskirts of the golf course at Letham Grange I stumbled across Lyophyllum connatum.  Very petite and a very swollen base of stem.  Pure white, cap, stem and gills, and in groups amongst leaf litter.   

Again on the edge of the golf course in deep lush grass I found what might be Clavulinopsis 
luteoalba.  Not 100% percent certain, but it did have pale white tips with an egg yellow body.  They were scattered around in little groups.

These can now be viewed on Browse 4.

Magic Mushrooms and Psilocybin Research News February 2012

What is Psilocybin?

Psilocybin is a naturally occurring psychedelic substance found in some mushrooms known as psilocybin mushrooms.  The most common known is the Magic Mushroom, (Liberty Cap) (Psilocybe semilanceata). 

Possession of this mushroom in all forms has been illegal since 1985.  This mushroom is classed as poisonous, due to its hallucinogenic properties and the symptoms can be enduring and persistent.  Once ingested, psilocybin is rapidly metabolized to psilocin which then acts on serotonin receptors in the brain.  Magic Mushrooms are the most commonly known of this group but others containing Psilocybin include Psilocybe crobula and Psilocybe azurescens amongst others.

An interesting article has appeared in The Guardian (see below) which explains more about the effects of psilocybin on the brain and funding that has been secured to research further if Psilocybe can help with the condition of depression.

http://m.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/feb/06/magic-mushrooms-law-war-drugs?cat=science&type=article