The Society’s annual fungus foray was held in Nettlebed Woods on Sunday 15th November. The walk started from Highmoor Trench in warm sunshine, with the autumn colours looking superb in the beech woods. Recent mild weather and heavy rain had led to a bumper crop of fungi. Leader Gordon Crutchfield was kept very busy, identifying fungi of a great variety of colours and structures. These included the twisted white Helvella crispa, the single thin club-like spike of Clavariadelphus fistulosus, the velvety red boletus, the delicate pale fronds of Ramaria stricta, the deep purple Amethyst Deceiver and the orange Tawny Funnel Cap. Several moths, including a Feathered Thorn, were spotted down amongst the fallen leaves.
The following fungi were identified in the field (without microscopic confirmation):
Amanita citrina False Death Cap
Macrolepiota konradii
Lepiota castanea
Armillaria mellea agg. Honey Fungus
Tricholoma album agg.
Clitocybe nebularis Clouded Agaric
Clitocybe flaccida Tawny Funnel Cap
Clitocybe odora Aniseed Toadstool
Laccaria laccata Deceiver
Laccaria amethystea Amethyst Deceiver
Collybia butyracea Butter Cap
Hygrophorus eburneus Ivory Wax Cap
Hygrophorus chrysodon Gold-flecked Woodwax
Mycena polygramma
Mycena galericulata Bonnet Mycena
Mycena sanguinolenta
Mycena crocata
Mycena pura
Mycena inclinata
Mycena pelianthina
Mycena flavescens
Lactarius blennius Slimy Milk-cap
Lactarius subdulcis
Russula nobilis Beechwood Sickener
Pluteus cervinus
Cortinarius alboviolaceus
Cortinarius infractus
Cortinarius flexipes
Gymnopilus penetrans
Hebeloma crustuliniforme agg. Poison Pie
Coprinus comatus Shaggy Ink Cap
Coprinus micaceus Glistening Ink Cap
Coprinus plicatilis
Panaeolus papilionaceus var. parvisporus Bell-shaped Mottlegill
Crepidotus variabilis
Boletus badius Bay Boletus
Boletus chrysenteron agg. Red-cracked Boletus
Ganoderma adspersum
Stereum hirsutum Hairy Stereum
Tyromyces albellus
Schizopora paradoxa
Lycoperdon perlatum
Lycoperdon pyriforme
Clavariadelphus fistulosus
Ramaria stricta
Auricularia auricula-judae Jew’s Ear
Exidia glandulosa Witches’ Butter
Exidia thuretiana
Helvella crispa Common White Helvella
Bisporella citrina Lemon Disco
Xylaria hypoxylon Candle-snuff Fungus
Badhamia utricularis (a slime mould)
identified by Gordon Crutchfield
Moths
Feathered Thorn
November Moth agg
Emmelina monodactyla