MYCOLOGIST NEWS

The newsletter of the British Mycological Society 2013 (3) Edited by Prof. Pieter van West and Dr Anpu Varghese

2013 BMS Council

BMS Council and Committee Members 2013

President Prof. Geoffrey D. Robson Vice-President Prof. Bruce Ing President Elect Prof Nick Read Treasurer Prof. Geoff M Gadd Secretary Position vacant Publications Officer Prof. Pieter van West International Initiatives Adviser Prof. AJ Whalley Fungal Biology Research Committee representatives: Dr. Elaine Bignell; Prof Nick Read Fungal Education and Outreach Committee: Dr. Paul S. Dyer; Dr Ali Ashby Field Mycology and Conservation: Dr. Stuart Skeates, Mrs Dinah Griffin

Fungal Biology Research Committee Prof. Nick Read (Chair) retiring 31.12. 2013 Dr. Elaine Bignell retiring 31.12. 2013 Dr. Mark Ramsdale retiring 31.12. 2013 Prof. Pieter van West retiring 31.12. 2013 Dr. Sue Crosthwaite retiring 31.12. 2014 Prof. Mick Tuite retiring 31.12. 2014 Dr Alex Brand retiring 31.12. 2015

Fungal Education and Outreach Committee Dr. Paul S. Dyer (Chair and FBR link) retiring 31.12. 2013 Dr. Ali Ashby retiring 31.12. 2013 Dr. Sue Assinder retiring 31.12. 2013 Dr. Kay Yeoman retiring 31.12. 2013 Alan Williams retiring 31.12. 2014 Prof Lynne Boddy (Media Liaison) retiring 31.12. 2014 Dr. Elaine Bignell retiring 31.12. 2015

Field Mycology and Conservation Committee Dr. Stuart Skeates (Chair, website & FBR link) retiring 31.12. 2014 Prof Richard Fortey retiring 31.12. 2013 Mrs. Sheila Spence retiring 31.12. 2013 Mrs Dinah Griffin retiring 31.12. 2014 Dr. Martyn Ainsworth retiring 31.12. 2013 Mr Justin Smith retiring 31.12. 2015 Mr David Harries (Recording Network Co-ordinator) retiring 31.12. 2015

Contacts

BMS Administrator President: [email protected] British Mycological Society Treasurer: [email protected] City View House Mycologist News: [email protected] Union Street BMS Administrator: [email protected] Manchester M12 4JD BMS Membership: [email protected]

Tel: +44(0) 161 277 7638 / 7639 Fax: +44(0) 161 277 7634

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From the Office

Hi and welcome to the third issue of the BMS newsletter. Contents

Autumn is almost upon us and the foray season will soon be underway. Red List of Fungi for Great Britain 4

One of the highlights this year (and hopefully in successive years) will be the UK Fungus Day Bursary Report - Matthew Lloyd 5 This event spread over the weekend of October 12th and 13th will see events happening all across the UK. Look on the website http:// Bursary Report - Andrei-Stefan Lia 6 ukfungusday.co.uk/ under ‘news and events’ for what’s happening where you are. Small Grant Report 7

As with all BMS organised forays or field events, we hope you enjoy the wonderful diversity of Obituary - Gordon Dickson 9 fungi, and continue to support the conservation and preservation of the fungi in its natural habitat for others to enjoy too. UK Fungus Day 10

For anyone who missed the BBC Radio 4’s Forum on ‘The Hidden Kingdom of Fungi’ on 3rd BMS Autumn Open Meeting 12 August, you can still listen again on the iPlayerRadio or copy this link into your browser: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b037r5dc

And for any eagle-eyed website users, you may have noticed a new section within the Field Mycology section of the website. Under Microscopy we have included a section called Suppliers. We shall be uploading information on businesses that supply relevant equipment or other appropriate supplies, detailing their website/business information. The businesses that appear on this list are not charged by the BMS and the BMS are not recommending or endorsing these businesses. We are simply responding to membership requests of having a list of places that supply relevant materials for the Field Mycologist. The businesses listed will be from individual membership recommendations and businesses contacting us directly wanting to be added to the list.

Best Wishes, The BMS Office Team

Copy deadline for next issue: 1 November 2013

Norman Porrett Sophie Embleton Administrator BMS Office Field Mycology Assistant

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Red List of Fungi for Great Britain: Boletaceae is out now on JNCC website!

There have been two previous fungal red-listing Of the 68 accepted GB Boletaceae taxa (66 exercises in Great Britain (GB). The first of these species and two varieties) assessed, 37 (54%) historic Red Data Lists (RDLs) was “A are now considered to be on the on the RDL as Provisional Red Data List of British Fungi” (Ing threatened or may be threatened now or in the 1992) which expressed levels of risk using the near future (CR, EN, VU, NT, DD) with the IUCN categories available at the time and was following breakdown by category: based on data from “foray lists, herbarium and literature sources and by discussion with EX 00 00% NT 06 09% experienced field mycologists”. This was CR 00 00% LC 28 41% superseded by an online list, the current RDL, EN 05 07% DD 18 27% entitled “Preliminary Assessment: The Red Data VU 08 12% NE 03 04% List of Threatened British Fungi” (Evans et al. Total 68 100% 2006). This covers GB and the Isle of Man, again using IUCN categories, and was compiled on Red-listed bolete taxa by category: behalf of the British Mycological Society (BMS). The lists were not published by the Joint Nature EN: Boletus fechtneri, Boletus fragrans, Boletus Conservation Committee (JNCC), a body pseudoregius, Boletus pseudosulphureus, approved by the International Union for Buchwaldoboletus sphaerocephalus. Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for quality assuring regional RDLs, and so they did not VU: Boletus legaliae, Boletus moravicus, Boletus achieve official recognition. rhodopurpureus, Boletus satanas, Buchwaldoboletus lignicola, Leccinum vulpinum, A pilot project was undertaken earlier this year to Phylloporus pelletieri, Rubinoboletus rubinus. assess a group of fungi, in their entirety, against Red Listing criteria. It was decided that the NT: Aureoboletus gentilis, Boletus aereus, Boletaceae would be the optimum family to begin Boletus pinophilus, Leccinum duriusculum, with as they are familiar to most recorders, Porphyrellus porphyrosporus, Strobilomyces relatively ‘easily identified’ with up to date and strobilaceus. readily accessible literature, and have potential threats to populations (eg habitat loss, incorrect DD: Boletus armeniacus, Boletus bubalinus, site management and indiscriminate collecting). Boletus declivitatum, Boletus depilatus, Boletus The project was funded by Natural England, but immutatus, Boletus luridiformis var. discolor, covered all of Great Britain, and relied on data Boletus luridus var. rubriceps, Boletus ripariellus, from the two largest existing databases; CATE2 Boletus subappendiculatus, Boletus torosus, managed by the ABFG (Association of British Leccinum albostipitatum, Leccinum Fungus Groups) and FRDBI managed by the cyaneobasileucum, Leccinum melaneum, BMS. The Kew Fungarium provided record Leccinum schistophilum, Octaviania expansion and clarification for rarer species. asterosperma, Wakefieldia macrospora, Xerocomus Taxa assigned to three of the IUCN Red List chrysonemus, Xerocomus silwoodensis categories Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) and Vulnerable (VU) are Further details can be found at: regarded as Threatened. Other taxa were http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/ assigned to Near Threatened (NT) if close to SpeciesStatus14_web.pdf Vulnerable, Data Deficient if only recently described (so actual distribution not fully known), with definitions of Red Listing Criteria at: http:// and Least Concern (LC) if populations were jr.iucnredlist.org/documents/ widespread and frequent. Some species were redlist_cats_crit_en.pdf Not Evaluated (NE) if not authentically British. This includes Boletus regius and Boletus Justin Smith rhodoxanthus.

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BMS Bursary Report

Combative interactions between white rot fungi colonising beech wood at different stages of decay

Matthew Lloyd Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University

Supervisor Professor Lynne Boddy

After completing my second year of Biology as Wood block pairings were secured together with an undergraduate at Cardiff University, I an elastic band, which was later removed upon received a bursary from the BMS and began a interaction establishment (Fig 1). All paired 10 week summer placement project, supervised wood blocks were incubated at 20 oC in small by Professor Lynne Boddy. The placement plastic pots on a bed of perlite, to which 6 cm3 of helped me gain a view into the day to day distilled water was added. Each experimental career workings of a real research lab, and the system was weighed, and recorded; the wood project gave me the idea of what was to be was gently sprayed every week to maintain this expected as a fungal biology researcher. weight and the original water content. At the end of the experiment the interaction outcomes The aim of the project was to determine how were determined by reisolation of mycelia from the state of decay of beech wood resources within the wood blocks onto malt agar. The colonised by different white rot fungal species wood density was estimated using fresh wood affects their combative and decay ability. block dimensions and their dry weight (including Interspecific pairings were set up between 2 × 2 fungal biomass), and rate of decay was × 2 cm beech wood blocks that had been determined by comparison with the density of colonised for either 3, 6 or 12 months. Six colonised wood blocks at the start of the species of white rot fungi Bjerkandera adusta, project. Hypholoma fasciculare, Phanerochaete velutina, Stereum hirsutum, Trametes versicolor The reisolation part of the project was sadly and Vuilleminia comedens were selected. beyond my summer research period, but has Interspecific pairings were set up in all been completed by Lynne’s post-doc Jennifer combinations of species and decay state. Hiscox and technician Mel Savoury. Interestingly the state of decay at the start sometimes affected the outcome of interactions, but this varied depending on combination of interacting species.

I am very grateful to the BMS for providing me with this opportunity, and Professor Lynne Boddy and Dr Jennifer Hiscox for supporting me throughout the project.

Fig. 1 5

BMS Bursary Report

Andrei-Stefan Lia, Genetics Undergraduate

Faculty of Life Sciences University of Manchester

Neurospora crassa is a well-established eukaryotic The main focus of my research has been the model organism, with advantages such as cheap and Neurospora blue-light sensing PAS/LOV simple culture maintenance, short life cycle, a photoreceptor VIVID (VVD), a small, 21kD, 186 relatively compact genome, which is 40 Mbp in amino acid protein. In its photoactive state, VVD acts length, distributed along 7 chromosomes. as a light input regulator, competitively inhibiting the Neurospora was introduced as a genetic model more formation of transcriptionally active WCC than 80 years ago by Bernard Dodge and became photoreceptor homodimers by forming WCC-VVD famous with the publication of Beadle and Tatum’s heterodimers. The WCC dimers are normally work on the ‘Genetic control of biochemical reactions required to activate frq, vvd and other ccg’s in Neurospora’. The above-mentioned paper transcription. proposed what is now known as the ‘one gene-one enzyme’ hypothesis. It has previously been reported that VVD plays an important role in preventing clock resetting under With respect to my project, Neurospora crassa was ambiguous light cues (i.e. moonlight). Thus, VVD used as a model organism for the study of the effect helps to maintain entrainment over naturally variable of light on circadian clocks. A circadian (i.e. “circa”= photoperiods by muting light input to the central approximately; “diem”= day) clock is a set of clock. In accordance with this, a vvd knockout strain molecular events that drive the temporal expression will be more sensitive to light resetting and become of a genetic programme over a span of ~24 hours. arrhythmic even under very low light conditions. The central clock of Neurospora is composed of White-Collar Complex (WCC), a blue-light Our project aimed to design and test a LED-based photoreceptor and a transcription factor, which blue-light system with adjustable settings for light activates transcription of a wide number of clock- intensity. This system was employed to test vvd wt controlled genes (ccg’s), including WCC’s inhibitor, and vvd knockout mutants over a broad range of light Frequency (FRQ), which inhibits WCC activity by -2 -1 activating phosphorylation-mediated degradation of intensities (1135-0.1 nmol *m *s ) and observe the WCC, thus describing a negative feedback loop. threshold light intensity levels where a free-running Additionally, circadian clocks must also be sporulation rhythm emerges in the wt, whilst the entrainable by environmental cues, also known as knockout grows arrhythmically. Results suggest that Zeitgebers (German; Zeit = time, geber = giver), the vvd wt maintains a free-running rhythm only at most widespread being light. The purpose of relatively low light intensities (0.58-0.1 nmol*m-2 *s-1), entrainment is to compensate for a shorter/longer than 24h endogenous clock (i.e. ~22h), as well as while the vvd knockout strain is consistently adaptation to seasonal changes in exogenous arrhythmic, as expected. This project has managed factors. Thus, circadian clocks lead to circadian to determine a range of light intensities that can be rhythms, which are the phenotypically observable used in future research. In the meanwhile, the group outputs of the clocks. By growing Neurospora on has generated vvd photocycle mutants. Using the long glass “race tubes” with growth medium, one can system set up in this project, the effects of these monitor the daily clock-regulated sporulation (i.e. a photocycle mutants on the circadian clock could be circadian rhythm), which is a good indicator of circadian time. tested in future experiments.

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Small Grant Report

BMS supports fungal workshop for high school students in the Philippines

The Philippines made a bold move to implement for teaching students aseptic techniques. Our the first time the K+12 Curriculum to replace its participants transferred microbial cultures from current 6-year basic and 4-year high school tubes to plates. After a short break, two of my education to be at par with other educational graduate students gave lectures on identifying systems in Southeast Asia come ASEAN 2015. lichens and macrofungi. We saw the enthusiasm of Educational institutions in the country gear up to the students after these lectures. During their lunch equip and upgrade their school with up-to-date break, they would walk around the campus and facilities and arm their students and teachers with showed us lichens they were able to collect. Two knowledge and skills. Recognizing the insufficient more workshops were then held during our knowledge and skills as well as minimal interest in afternoon session. Our student-participants learned mycology among high school students and how to identify slime molds and macrofungi. Many teachers, the University of Santo Tomas Research of them tried to identify specimens they themselves Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences (UST collected in the field. Two more lectures followed RCNAS) – Fungal Biodiversity and Systematics our hands-on training. My graduate students shared (FBS) Group conducted a seminar-workshop for their studies on the application of fungi in drug high school teachers and students on 19-20 July discovery and fermentation technology. Our 2013. Dubbed “A closer look at fungi: diversity and one-day event ended with a career talk on being a applications”, our team journeyed first to Juan R. scientist. Liwag Memorial High School in Gapan, Nueva Ecija. This public high school caters to more than 3,000 Our goal to teach students and teachers more about students in its campus. Our FBS team arrived early fungi did not end with this school. The next day we morning following a two-hour drive north from the journeyed south of Manila to Imus Institute in Imus, capital city of Manila. We were greeted by 40 high Cavite. This private high school houses more than school students eager to learn about fungi. They are 2,000 students within its campus. We were fortunate joined together by their smiling, friendly teachers. I to have with us in our workshop 30 high school started our seminar-workshop with a short lecture students. Similarly, we gave these students lectures introduction on fungi, their diversity and varied on fungi and their applications. We also taught them applications. I highlighted the benefits we get from techniques on how to culture these fungi and how fungi. Our hands-on training then began with they can identify their specimens. During

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seminar-workshop, some of the participants support provided from the small grant given by shared their high school research projects. Many the British Mycology Society. BMS’s effort laid a were very eager to listen as we discussed their foundation for the future of these future studies. The two-day seminar-workshop mycologists. conducted by our research group may not be TE dela Cruz sufficient to fully teach these students all about fungi. However, their comments made us realize that this simple activity may have stimulated their interest to learn more about fungi. Many students commented that they learned a lot of things from the workshop, that they learn how important fungi are, and that they enjoyed the seminar. Some suggested to have similar workshops that focus on fungi found in the Philippines. Truly, a few commented that they were inspired to learn more about science, and perhaps be a scientist someday. One even said and I quote, “When I was young, I wanted to become a scientist or a researcher, but as I grow up, I think of being more practical, and I think being a scientist will not make my life comfortable and successful. But this workshop actually inspired me to remove that mindset and instead continue to pursue my dreams, and that is to make my name synonymous to ‘scientist’. Thanks a lot, really. I’m grateful I was here.” Indeed these inspiring words are enough to make us continue our advocacy to share science to students and inspire them to be scientists someday. And this activity would not be a success without the

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Obituary

GORDON DICKSON B. Ch. D. (Leeds) F.D.S., D. Orth., RCS (Eng), ARPS

15th April 1920 – 1st August 2013

Gordon Dickson was born in Sheffield, qualified in Hampshire Fungus Recording Group. dentistry at Leeds and spent four years in the Royal By the time he retired, Gordon had acquired Navy as a shore-based dentist. After taking further considerable knowledge and expertise in the qualifications, he was appointed a Consultant in the identification of fungi. Having met the late Peter Orton Hospital service, becoming the second Consultant recording in the Abernethy Forest, Gordon would join Orthodontist in the country. He continued in the NHS Peter there every autumn. Working, and arguing, until his retirement in 1986. together the fungus list from Abernethy continued to grow, including the Hydnoid fungi in which Gordon Gordon had been interested in photography and started to specialise. natural history from boyhood. In the early fifties he wanted to write and illustrate a textbook on Peter also visited the New Forest, foraying with Gordon orthodontics. He devised a means of intra-oral and his friends. As the fungus lists grew, Gordon photography using a Leica III, a distance-piece and an realised that if these records were never published they electronic flash that he constructed from basic would soon be lost forever. Having taught himself to components. This was somewhat hazardous both to use a computer, he asked Ann Leonard to help. They himself and his patients. However, it also provided the gathered together all the past records they could find of means to take close-ups of natural history subjects. fungi identified from the New Forest, including those from the Herbarium at Kew. These records were As a member of the Royal Photographic Society, published by the BMS in 1996 as Fungi of the New Gordon served on the Council from 1984 to 1986, and Forest. was Chairman of the RPS Nature Group from 1987 to 1989. This led to taking Photographic courses, some of At a BMS meeting Gordon raised the idea of an which were held at the Field Studies Council venue at expedition to look at fungi in the tropics. This resulted Kindrogan. Here, photogenic fungi were in abundance, in his organising, together with J.N. Hedger, a but Gordon realised that a photo, however excellent, successful expedition to the Amazonian region of was of minimal use without the correct name. Ecuador sponsored by the Society. He was later However, help was at hand in the form of Roy Watling awarded the Benefactor’s Medal for services to the who ran courses on identifying fungi at the same BMS. venue. Gordon attended these, joined the BMS, and when work permitted attended the Society’s Fungus After the death of his wife in 1999 Gordon looked after Forays both at home and in Europe. At weekends he himself but increasing heart problems curtailed his would meet with a small group of enthusiasts in the activities in later years. He died peacefully at home New Forest, later becoming a founder member of the with his family around him. Ann Leonard 9

What’s happening near you?

If you’ve not been on the website to find out what is happening near you, you need to take a look and keep referring to it as it is being updated regularly as more and more Groups, Bodies, Organisations continue to confirm their planned activities.

Visit www.ukfungusday.co.uk and go to the ‘News and Events’ section to search your area for activities.

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UK Fungus Day 13 October 2013

There is loads going on across the UK in November 3rd. As part of the festival an artist support of this first UK Fungus Day with all the will create willow mushroom sculptures; there information you need found on the website will be daily ‘fungi forays’, tours of their www.ukfungusday.co.uk Fungarium and activities for the family. A special family event is planned for UK Fungus Here is a snapshot of what’s going on: Day on Sunday 13th October.

Cambridge Science Centre is launching the first The Linnean Society of London will host a one ever UK Fungus Day over the weekend of 12th day symposium entitled 'Fungi, Keystones of and 13th October with a whole lot of fungal fun! Evolution and Earth Processes' on Thursday Researchers will be coming out of the labs to 17th October;. showcase the importance of mushrooms and other fungi with special activities and exhibits. A 'fungus' walk is planned around the reserve at the WWT London Wetland Centre on Sunday Treborth Botanic Garden in North Wales are 13th October from 11 am until 2 pm. hosting two free family orientated fungal forays on Sunday 13th October. And all this is just a taster!

Plantlife are organising forays and family We’re also on the look out for the UK’s largest activities at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Fairy Ring... The BMS in partnership with the Edinburgh on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th Society of Biology, the National Botanic Garden October between 1 pm and 4 pm and The of Wales and the Association of British Fungus Grampian Fungus Group are organising Public Groups, are all on the hunt, can you help? See forays and a display at Haughton Country Park the website for full information. on Sunday 13th October between 10:30 and 15:30. So what are you waiting for? Go to the website and find out what is going on near you. Take Plantlife are organising forays and family your friends and family and have a great day. activities at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh on Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th And once it’s all over, we’d love to hear your October between 1 pm and 4 pm and The feedback—where you went, what you did and Grampian Fungus Group are organising Public what you thought (email: forays and a display at Haughton Country Park [email protected]). We may on Sunday 13th October between 10:30 and even feature your review in the next issue of 15:30. Mycologist News!

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew are holding a 'Fungi Festival' event from October 5th until

www.ukfungusday.co.uk

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The British Mycological Society Autumn Open Meeting in partnership with The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

The Geography of Fungi

Saturday 30 November 2013 – Kew Gardens, Jodrell Lecture Theatre

Join us for an exploration of the latest studies of fungi from Antarctica to the tropics. We will also have an opportunity to visit Kew Gardens.

10:30-11:00: Coffee & Tea.

11:00-11:30: Matthew Fisher, Imperial College. Matthew is a leader in the study of emerging fungal diseases.

11:30-12:00: Ester Gaya, Kew Gardens. Ester is an expert on lichens.

12:00-14:00: Lunch break & time to visit the gardens.

14:00-14:30: Leho Tedersoo, University of Tartu. Leho is a leader in mycorrhizal ecology.

14:30-15:00: Laura Martínez & Sietse van der Linde, Kew Gardens. Laura and Sietse work on mycorrhizal fungi in Europe's forests.

15:00-15:30: Filipa Cox, University of Manchester. Filipa is investigating Antarctic fungi.

15:30-16:00: Bryn Dentinger, Kew Gardens. Bryn is an expert on tropical mushrooms.

16:00: Coffee & Tea.

A contribution of £5 will be requested towards supporting our meeting costs.

If you would like to access the fungarium and/or the fungal library, please make arrangements before the meeting ([email protected]).

Detailed directions to Kew Gardens can be found at: www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens The Jodrell Gate is on Kew Road, Richmond TW9 3DS.

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BMS 2013 Foray and Workshop Programme

BMS Overseas Foray - Corsica November 19th- 26th 2013 Tutors and local organisers: Dr Pierre-Arthur Moreau, Lille University and Dr Franck Richard Assos. Professor Montpellier University

The foray will be hotel based in Corsica on the dinner will be at 19-20pm and hopefully be a local northern coast near Calvi. The ecoregion is home to style menu. several distinct forest communities, which vary with elevation and exposure. Lower elevations 300m have The first evening may be used for a talk about the forests of evergreen sclerophyll oaks Quercus ilex & landscapes, mycology in Corsica, etc., by local Q. suber and pinus pinaster on rich soil. Middle 500 people to 1000 m elevations are predominantly forests of Pinus pinaster interspersed with forests of mixed Franck specialises in the ecology of old-growth broadleaf deciduous trees, including Ostrya forests and biology of post-fire fungi, Whilst Pierre- carpinifolia, Alnus cordata and considerable areas of Arthur might speak about dry/coastal fungi, wetland Castanea sativa. They are accessible in the Balagne fungi, high-mountain fungi in Corsica communities valley less than 1 h driving. Q. pubescens, Q. petraea associated with alders. At the end of each day a are also present though these are rare and hardly discussion on interesting finds or a general comment accessible without long walks. It will also be possible on the collections will take place. to access to the Fango valley, which is a nice wild complex of wetlands and old-growth oak forests Professor Regis Courtequisse also at Lille University (reserve Man and Biosphere). is president of the French Mycological Society and is anxious to involve their society in this event, although Around Calvi the surrounding areas are coastal his university commitments may prevent his thermomediterranean environments with Cistaceae attendance. It is envisaged that there will be a group and Pinus pinaster, and dry forests of Quercus ilex of French mycologist's specialists in different genera with a few Q. suber. There are also some coastal also attending. This is an excellent opportunity to wetlands with Alnus glutinosa. The closest forests are forge links with the French mycological community of Q.ilex with Arbutus unedo, some old-growth and of and will add substantially to the expertise during the patrimonial value. week. Dr Pierre-Arthur Moreau of Lille University and his colleague Dr Franck Richard an assos. Professor Cost Approx (not including flights) we expect costs from Montpellier University are to be our local will be between 50-75€ per night half board + the organisers assisted by members of the Corsican usual £50.00 workroom fee. (non BMS members + mycological societies. They are members of the £30.00 on total price) scientific committee of the Office of Natural Sites of Corsica. They have been working for the last ten Full details will be available in the autumn years building up the Corsican database of confirming the hotel and giving us a programme predominantly macro fungi. Franck Richard worked of sites as a forester in Corsica for ten years so both know the island well. There are three mycological groups Further details will be sent to you after booking or if on the island very active, enthusiastic and helpful and you register interest. they will I believe join us whilst we are there. Following a good breakfast 7.30-8.00, we leave for Maximum numbers reached. Currently operating the field at 8.30-9.00, taking a lunch pack with us. We a waiting list until further notice. return to the workroom in the early afternoon. The

Request for Newsletter Articles

Do you have any items you would like to see published in the Newsletter which would be of interest to members? We would love to receive short reports of any activities, upcoming events, items of interest, etc. Please send items to the office or email to: [email protected]

Copy deadline for next 13issue: 1 November 2013

Booking Procedure for Forays and Workshops

The programme of events organised by the Foray NOTES ON EVENTS Sub-Committee appear on the Society’s web site www.britmycolsoc.org.uk along with a booking form Workshops are usually held over a weekend, are which can be downloaded from the website. There is mainly indoors and combine lectures and a £20 non-refundable booking fee per person per examination of prepared material from the workshop event which should be sent to the Foray Manager tutor with individual study using both fresh and with a completed booking form for each participant. herbarium fungal specimens as appropriate. A For some events it is possible to attend on a part microscope is essential. In some cases, some time basis or to be non resident. There will still be a outdoor foray activity may be part of the workshop. fee for workroom space, administration and tutoring Numbers are limited, usually to around 25 costs. The Society welcomes non-members to its participants, and the courses are generally fully events but anyone with a keen interest in field booked. mycology can become a member of the Society. (Joining the BMS costs less than attending one event Residential Forays have a long tradition extending th and taking Field Mycology which is included with back to the 19 Century and provide an opportunity membership) BMS members and accompanying non for participants to study the fungi of a particular area. participants are entitled to a £20 reduction for each The days will include a programme of field outings to event. collect material to study after returning to the workroom where investigations often continue late At least six weeks before the event (depending on into the evening or the early morning! Although there the conditions imposed by the venue chosen), the is only a limited programme of formal lectures, if any, organiser will ask for payment in full. If you do not the forays provide an opportunity for exchange of pay this, then your place will be forfeited. Nearer the knowledge on current developments in taxonomy event and after full payment, refunds will need to be and conservation, and an intensive learning negotiated with the organiser, who may be able to environment for those with a serious interest (though find a substitute; otherwise a refund may not be not necessarily extensive expertise) in fungal possible. Participants should consider travel identification. The records of fungi made during BMS insurance to cover late cancellation. forays are added to the Fungal Records Database of Britain and Ireland which is then made accessible The Foray Manager will send your booking details to through the online NBN gateway. As part of this the organisers of each event. Your booking will be recording activity, forays also provide an opportunity acknowledged by email. If you do not have an email to add herbarium specimens to the National please enclose a stamped, addressed envelope if collections and the active participation by members you require acknowledgement. Please bear in mind of the Kew Mycology Department, as well as other that some events have a limited number of places herbaria, is a welcome part of the events. The and may become fully booked quite early. evening round-up sessions, in which the outstanding finds of the day are viewed and discussed, conclude The form also allows you to indicate your each day’s activities. preferences for accommodation in more detail. The available accommodation varies with the venue and, First time participants to a BMS event - The while we would like to try to meet everyone's Society is keen to encourage new participants with individual needs as far as possible, this may not an interest in fungi to extend their expertise and always be possible. Additional charges will usually participate in its forays and workshops including field apply for e.g. single rooms or en suite facilities when mycologists in affiliated local groups throughout the they are available. Please contact the Foray British Isles. The organisers provide help and Manager with any queries. encouragement to new or less experienced attendees and are happy to be approached to The BMS small grant scheme is open to students discuss your particular needs. The organisers are attending any field meeting and if you are eligible and keen to foster a friendly atmosphere to make it would like to apply please contact the Foray possible for all participants whatever their level of Manager. expertise to experience a friendly, informative and enjoyable event.

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British Mycological Society CityView House Union Street Ardwick Manchester M12 4JD MycologistNews email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 161 277 7638 / 7639 BMS Website Fax: +44 (0) 161 277 7634 www.britmycolsoc.org.uk

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