Newsletter: March 2015

Welcome to the March 2015 Edition of the TVFG Newsletter Yet again the 2014 fungus season started dry in September, with timely rain in October and a mild, damp autumn/early winter. As a result, the season has lasted into the New Year, although by mid- January 2015, it had turned decidedly chilly. One effect of the early dry spell seems to have been a reduction in the numbers and variety of mycorrhizal fungi. Interestingly, all but one of our forays, including our final foray at Sulham in December, resulted in identification of between 50 and 70 species. The exception was the all-day foray at Greenham and Bowdown, which yielded more than twice that number of species. Finally, my thanks to all of you who have contributed to this edition. I would particularly like to thank Harold Gough, who provided so many stunning photographs from the forays that he attended, that I have had real difficulty in deciding which material to use, and Caroline Jackson-Houlston for her beautiful illustration (opposite) of the Boletus luridiformis var. luridiformis found on the St Neots foray. Boletus luridiformis var. luridiformis at St. Neots Mike Harrison ©Caroline Jackson-Houlston ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A VINTAGE WAXCAP SEASON! WHAT’S THIS IN MY SOUP? Sandra Parkinson, who has good waxcap sites on her That’s a good question, according to a recent paper land at Chalkhills, reports that 2014 was the best by two Kew Mycologists. When they checked a waxcap season she has had since about 1998, both commercial packet of dried porcini from China, from for the number of species and the quantity of caps. a shop in London, using DNA analysis, they found that of the 15 pieces sampled, all were one of three She sees a few Hygrocybe species every year, but all different species that did not yet have scientific are appearing later and later, perhaps because names or descriptions. recently it has not been cold enough earlier in the season. The peak time for most species used to be Although it was already known that unidentified mid-October, except for H. russocoriacea, which species were entering the porcini supply chain, this typically appears around early November and shows was a surprise. So – do you know what’s in your up until Christmas. This year, she found at least 7 mushroom soup? species on 24th November and was able to eat Reference: Dentinger, B.T. & Suz, L.M. (2014). What’s for Meadow Waxcap (H. pratensis var. pratensis) until dinner? Undescribed species in commercial porcini from mid-December. China. PeerJ 2:e570 Available online ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2014 FORAY REPORTS UK Fungus Day 2014 – Chalkhills, Whitchurch: 12th October th Hornley Common, Yateley: 14 September The TVFG contribution to National Fungus Day Joint Foray with West Weald FRG involved a morning foray for members and an Of the five people foraying, one was a WWFRG and afternoon public foray for families. Both were very one a TVFG member and three members of both. poorly attended - 4 in the morning, 4 in the The site is on acid soil. Some parts are dominated by afternoon - and no ‘families’, despite the dry broadleaved trees, especially birch but with weather (compared with 2013), and the reopening significant oak, beech, chestnut and willow, while of the nearby bridge over the Thames. other parts are dominated by pine. A beech and TVFG is a small group, and it was known beforehand chestnut slope which has provided rare hydnoids in that some of the ‘core’ members would be unable to the past, on this occasion only gave us Hydnum attend. Three members did visit the site beforehand, repandum. to do a recce and collect fungi for a static display at Because it was a very dry September we spent much Chalkhills, for which I was most grateful. Even the of the time in the damp woodland to the north of recent rain after the long dry spell of weather was Hawley Lake. not enough to produce much in the way of fungi. In 2013 the static display covered the equivalent of 5 Overall we found 55 species: more fungi than some large tables - in 2014 only 2. In 2013 there was a people had expected. Best finds were Volvariella display of about 2 dozen species from lawns or bombycina, and Melanoleuca exscissa. grassland – in 2014 only 4. Mike Waterman Shirley and Theo Kirstein came in the afternoon with ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a lovely set of specimens from sites in Hampshire th College Copse Farm: 20 September and Berkshire – but there were virtually no members Joint Foray with Hampshire FRG of the public to appreciate them. College Copse Farm is a working farm used to house The afternoon Foray was led by Rod D’ayala, with the HWT‘s grazing herd, but still has patches of Caroline Jackson-Houlston, and I am most grateful to reportedly ancient, damp birch/willow/alder them for this. I stayed behind in the farm building to woodland. The dry ground did not encourage us as ‘supervise’ the fungi display – but this turned out to we walked across the farmland to the woodland, be unnecessary. with the only excitement being dense clumps of the ringless Armillaria tabescens growing on dead oak I would also like to thank WoTHabs for supervising stumps. car parking (2 cars!) and doing refreshments (mostly for TVFG members). Once in the woodland, finds were still sparse but included several unusual species. The "roll-rim" Sandra Parkinson Paxillus rubicundulus was found under alder and ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ some gracile Amanitas under birch/willow turned UK FUNGUS DAY 2015 -11th OCTOBER out to be A. olivaceogrisea. A group of the small, hairy Phaemarasmius erinaceus found growing on a Sandra will not be running this event, although she willow branch received my vote for “rind of the has offered her barn for a static fungi display, if day”. Other habitat-specific species were Lactarius other TVFG members want to help to support this obscuratus, Hymenoscyphus salicellus found by Mike national event to promote public interest, Waterman and Inocybe ovatocystis (with its balloon- knowledge, and understanding of the importance of like cystidia). fungi to life on earth. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ As has been normal this season, Paul Hugill’s box th was soon bulging with resupinates, among which Greenham Common and Bowdown: 19 October Joint Foray with Hampshire FRG were Gloeocystidiellum clavuligerum - a first for Hampshire with only a handful of UK records from After a week of relatively high temperatures for mid- Surrey and Hertfordshire, and a couple more for his October, with at least some rain every day, the book; Hyphodontia arguta and Tomentella weather was kind to us and stayed both warm and sublilacina, the latter also new to VC12 and the dry. group. Thirteen forayers from HFRG and TVFG enjoyed a Eric Janke (HFRG) productive day. Although there were not huge numbers of fungi, there was enough variety to keep ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ everyone interested, with around 60 species found little red-spored Melanophyllum haematospermum, on Greenham Common itself and more than 100 at which seems to be a regular at this site. I had seen it Bowdown . only once before, almost exactly a year previously, growing in our back garden in soil enriched with We spent the morning on the common, where Alan compost and bark chippings. Lucas found Phellinus conchatus (which he nominated as his find of the day) on a rotten stump Mike Harrison and the little bell-shaped Calyptella campanula on a ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ dead nettle stem. Eric Janke’s choice was the blue- th St Neots School, Eversley: 26 October black grassland species Entoloma atrocoruleum. Sue Rogerson found the grey resupinate Tulasnella This was the first time we have visited this private thelephorea – the first time it has been recorded in site and perhaps because of this, the foray was one Berkshire for almost 50 years. of the best attended this year. It didn’t disappoint with the 10 forayers identifying a total of 65 species. In the afternoon, we moved on to the part of the nearby Bowdown Reserve known as the “bomb dump”. This was a damper site with more tree cover and a wider range of fungi, including a large drift of Geastrum triplex.

Forayers at St Neots © Harold Gough The site provides a mix of deciduous and coniferous woodland and also an area of damp grassland, which delivered several of the more interesting finds. These included examples of the bright orange Geastrum triplex at Bowdown © Paul Hugill parasitic Cordyceps militaris, and the yellow fairy Eric’s list of the more interesting fungi found there club Clavulinopsis laeticolor. included Lactarius citriolens, Russula gracillima and Melanoleuca grammopodia (if only because it wasn’t M. polioleuca!)

Lactarius citriolens at Bowdown © Paul Hugill

Among the fungi identified by Alan was the unusual chisel-shaped ascomycete Glyphium elatum, growing Cordyceps militaris at St. Neots © Harold Gough on an attached hawthorn branch - a new Berkshire record. Paul Hugill nominated the spiny little Also in the grass was the colourful Boletus resupinate Tubulicium vermiferum as his fungus of luridiformis var. luridiformis. The coniferous the day, but my favourite from Bowdown was the woodland produced a number of typical species including Phaeolus schweinitzii, Trichaptum Several unusual species found in 2013 turned up abietinum, Baeospora myosura and the Earpick again, including Serpula himantioides: the “wild” fungus, Auriscalpium vulgare. form of dry rot and the bracket Postia wakefieldiae. Another nice find was the little Hemimycena A pale Leccinum attracted a bit of attention, but the tortuosa, with water droplets along the stem. colour change in the cut stem revealed it was only a washed out Leccinum scabrum, not L. holopus. Mike Harrison ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lackmore Woods: 27th October As Gordon was unable to lead this foray, I deputised. Although it wasn’t a vintage year, the 6 forayers found a respectable 57 species, including 3 species of bolete: Chalchiporus piperatus, Boletus pruinatus and Boletus subtomentosus. There was also Clitocybe nebularis, growing in rings or partial rings, one of which, in the small area of woodland to the west of the road, was around 10m across. Another Hemimycena tortuosa at Lackmore© Harold Gough of the more numerous species found was the grey- capped Mycena archangeliana. Mike Harrison ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Charles Flower’s Wood: 3rd November We had not previously visited this privately-owned wood, officially known as Mapleash Copse. The site was deciduous woodland, predominantly Beech, Oak and Hazel, but with some Chestnut, Ash and Willow. On a damp morning, a dozen forayers found a respectable total of 62 species. An interesting find was Amanita submembranacea, with greyish veil remnants on the olive-grey cap. A clump of Grifola frondosa (Hen of the Woods) at the base of a beech tree was also a nice find.

Mycena archangeliana at Lackmore © Harold Gough A fallen tree trunk produced fruitbodies of the interesting jelly fungus Pseudohydnum gelatinosum (or Jelly Tongue) last recorded in Oxfordshire in 2001, according to the FRDBI.

Grifola frondosa at Mapleash Copse © Harold Gough Another uncommon species was Tapinella panuoides, discovered growing in leaf litter. It has a rudimentary stem, or none at all, and decurrent, branching, bright yellowish-buff gills, bruising browner. Mike Harrison Pseudohydnum gelatinosum at Lackmore © Harold Gough ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Greenacres Health Club: 11th November The Greenacres foray has been an annual feature of our programme for the past 7 years, but sadly this was almost certainly the last one, as the long threatened redevelopment is now imminent. It was therefore, fitting that the site provided a good display for the occasion and a good turnout of 12 forayers, identified a total 57 species – considerably more than the previous year.

Ramaria species at Greenacres © Harold Gough By the site entrance, there were large numbers of the small white Hemimycena lactea, growing on conifer needles underneath a layer of fallen sycamore leaves. A grassy area on the other side of the tennis courts Clavulina rugosa at Greenacres © Harold Gough contained a specimen of the hardly delightful but The grassy area along the entrance drive produced descriptively named “dog vomit” slime mould several waxcaps (not all identified) together with 3 Mucilago crustacea var. crustacea, also found at different species of fairy clubs – Clavulinopsis Greenacres in 2013. helvola, C. laeticolor and Clavulina rugosa, together My nomination for find of the day would be with the almost obligatory Lactarius deterrimus Hebeloma theobrominum, an uncommon fungus not We also found three species regularly present at this previously recorded in the Thames Valley. site: Auriscalpium vulgare, Strobilurus tenecellus and Mike Harrison Baeospora myosura, all of which grow on buried or ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ partially buried cones of conifers. th Swinley Forest: 16 November Although this foray was not rain-free, it was certainly an improvement on TVFG’s previous visit in 2012, when the atrocious weather meant that the foray was abandoned early. This was reflected in the number of species found: a total of 64 species, compared with only three in 2012. Particularly notable on the area of burnt heathland was the earth fan, Thelephora terrestris f. terrestris, a fungus that we have not seen much recently. Here it was abundant in places.

Auriscalpium vulgare at Greenacres © Harold Gough Thelephora terrestris f. terrestris at Swinley ©Mike Harrison There were also several clumps of a Ramaria, It was nice to see Cortinarius semisanguineus, also although we were unable identify this to species in not recorded by the group in the last 3 years. Other what is a notoriously difficult group. species of interest were Gomphidius roseus One of the more notable of the species found was (although no Suillus bovinus were found fruiting Phleogena faginea, - a small fungus growing on an oak nearby) the relatively uncommon Hypholoma trunk- which has a smell like fenugreek or curry, capnoides and the purple coloured resupinate particularly when it is dry. This smell gives this fungus its Trichaptum abietinum. English name: the Fenugreek Stalkball

Phleogena faginea at Sulham © Harold Gough A polypore growing on a pine log turned out to be Ischnoderma benzoinum, another good find. A further bracket growing on pine was the uncommon Postia rennyi, with only 72 British records. A specimen of Phlebia radiata found growing on a log was duller in colour than some I’ve seen elsewhere. This species often develops more attractive pink and red tinges, rather than the predominantly orange, brown and Trichaptum abietinum at Swinley ©Mike Harrison beige seen here. Fay Newbery, a plant pathologist from Reading University, identified several ascomycete pathogenic species, including 2 new to the group: Phyllactinia betulinum on a birch leaf and Stromatoseptoria castaneicola on a sweet chestnut leaf. The Phyllactinia was confirmed by DNA sequencing – not a method used too often on species we find. A Daldinia species caused some interest, as it was growing on a burnt birch trunk. Unfortunately, although some spores were obtained, the fruitbodies were too old to allow us to confirm Phlebia radiata at Sulham © Harold Gough whether the species was the common Daldinia A nettle stem produced the tiny black, conical concentrica, or another species. ascomycete Leptosphaeria acuta. Two other small Mike Harrison ascomycetes identified by Paul were Chaetosphaeriella phaeostroma, commonly found ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ growing with, or on, stromatic pyrenomycetes such Sulham Woods: 7th December as Diatrype and Helminthosphaeria clavariarum Our final outing of the season attracted 14 forayers: which causes blackening on Clavulina species – in the largest number that we had seen all year. this case C. coralloides. Perhaps the prospect of pre-Christmas lunch at the Mike Harrison Greyhound provided one of the inducements, and ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ we were all pleased to see Paul Cook, who despite an extremely busy schedule, had agreed to lead the GOODBYE HIMALAYAN BALSAM? foray. Some pathogenic fungi can be useful. In a recent Instead of following our usual route, we headed off trial, a rust fungus was released in locations in down a different path, heading more to the north. Berkshire, Cornwall and Middlesex, to control one of Despite the date, there were still plenty of fungi to the UK’s most invasive weeds: the alien Himalayan find and altogether a provisional total of 65 different Balsam (Impatiens glandulifera). This weed, an species were identified, with perhaps more to come. aggressive coloniser, particularly of riverbanks and other damp places, out-competes native species. Its received their copies. If you are interested, but haven’t eradication is difficult and very expensive using already let Paul know, you can simply email him at existing methods and it is hoped that over time, the [email protected] rust will reverse its spread. I’ve already bought my copy: don’t miss yours. The trial followed several years of research to find Mike Harrison one of the many insects or fungi attacking the plant which could be released to control the weed while Stop Press- leaving native species unharmed. CABI, the There are already plans for a "sequel", which will be a companion volume containing full microscopy details for organisation responsible for the research found that all the Hampshire resupinate species (possibly all UK the rust fungus Puccinia komarovii var. glandulifera, species), and perhaps a suitable key. This will eliminate also from the Himalayas, which lives its entire life the need to search for those hard-to-find, out-of-print cycle on the Himalayan Balsam, did just that. texts such as Corticiaceae of North Europe and Nordic Mike Harrison Macromycetes Vol 3. It will also be a lot cheaper! Paul tells me that the draft is still at an early stage, but the ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ hope is to publish before the end of this year. I will keep you up to date on progress as it develops. AVAILABLE NOW: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ MORE BAD NEWS FOR OUR ASH TREES According to recent articles in the Sunday Telegraph, (1st and 8th February) the number of British woods affected by Ash Die-back, caused by Chalara fraxinea has almost tripled in the last two years. The disease was present in almost 1000 sites at the end of 2014. One glimmer of hope is that it will be possible to identify strains of ash with resistance to the pathogenic Chalara fungus. Apparently around 80% of ash trees in affected areas are likely to die from the disease. Some trees seem able to recover from Chalara infection, while others seem to avoid infection altogether. In the meantime, the Government policy is to attempt to “slow the Resupinate fungi, which some people know as “rugs” spread” of the disease and encourage the replanting or “paint”, are usually found on tree stumps or fallen of alternative species in affected areas. trunks and branches. They can be tricky to identify, but With around 80 million trees, the ash represents the help is now at hand and I am delighted that this book, third largest population of trees in the U.K. Some by Paul Hugill and Alan Lucas, is now available. experts now think that the disease will eventually The book contains a full page entry for each of the spread across the country. If this happens, even if 290 species recorded to date in Hampshire, including some trees survive, it would be potentially a few recent finds not yet recorded on the FRDBI. catastrophic for those species dependant on ash, About 250 of these include a high quality half page including obviously, many species of fungi. colour photo. The remainder will have a half page Ash die-back is of course, only one of the many space for photos, which will be emailed to buyers of threats to trees from plant diseases and pests. the book, as and when they become available. The According to the distinguished ecologist, Dr Oliver book is in A5 format, fully indexed with a soft gloss Rackham, “The greatest threat to the world’s trees cover, and 348 gloss pages. and forests is the globalisation of plant diseases.” He The primary purpose of the book, as the title implies, criticises “the casual way in which plants and soil are is as a field guide based on the visual characteristics shipped and flown around the globe in commercial of the specimens (for which a hand lens is essential). quantities around the world, inevitably bringing with It does not contain details of microscopy. them diseases to which the plants at their The book costs £15, plus first class postage and destination have no resistance”. Let’s hope that packaging, if required (£3.65 within the UK). Everyone someone grasps this particular nettle - and soon. who has expressed an interest will already have been Mike Harrison contacted directly by email and may have already ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

TVFG BALANCE SHEET FOR 2014

Cash at Bank on 2/1/14 £620.49 Cash at Bank on 31/12/14 £552.49 Cash in hand (Gordon Crutchfield) £23.50 Cash in hand (Gordon Crutchfield) £27.49 on 2/1/14 on 31/12/14 Subs for 2014 £22.00 Team Leader’s Meeting £68.00 (Mike Waterman) Newsletter and Foray Programme £12.70 2014 printing and distribution costs (Mike Harrison) Other Postage (Gordon Crutchfield) £5.31 £665.99 £665.99

TREASURER’S REPORT A more detailed article on the results of the analysis will be included with the Foray List (see below). We made a loss this year, but we always do in a year when there’s a BMS team leaders’ meeting – Mike Harrison many thanks to Mike Waterman for attending on ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ our behalf. Newsletter costs are considerably less now that most copies are sent out by email, thanks DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES to Mike Harrison. Spring Foray There will be a Spring Foray this year at 10.00 a.m. Sadly, subscription income was down on previous th years. Our paid up membership was only 15 people, on Sunday 19 April at St Neots School, Lower 4 of whom had paid in advance. Common, Eversley (SU767618) where we had a successful foray in October 2014. Leader: Mike I don’t see any serious cause for concern and Waterman : 01252 874899. suggest that subs remain at £2 per household for 2015 Joint Foray with Oxfordshire Gordon Crutchfield – Treasurer Professor Richard Fortey will lead a Joint Foray with ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ the Fungus Survey of Oxfordshire at 2.00 p.m. on October 31st at Nettlebed. Further details will OUR FUNGAL TOP OF THE POPS follow. I’ve analysed the records of 30 of our forays over the last 3 years to see which fungi we’ve found most frequently. Joint Forays with Hampshire The following is a list of our top 10 fungi over the period. There will be 2 Joint Forays with Hampshire Fungus Where species have been found the same number of Recording Group this year. The first will be at 10.00 times, they are given equal ranking. on Saturday 12th September at Basing Forest. This is Name Ranking an area of mixed woodland just north of Hypholoma fasciculare var. fasciculare 1= Basingstoke, with no fungus records at all until last Stereum hirsutum 1= November, when Mike Waterman and I did a brief Laccaria laccata 3= preliminary survey and found more than 60 species. Trametes versicolor 3= The second foray is at 10.00 on Sunday 29th Xylaria hypoxylon 3= November at Herbert Plantation and Sandham Laccaria amethystina 6= Memorial Chapel, where we last forayed in 2009. Mycena galericulata 6= Further details of the Joint Forays with HFRG will be Schizopora paradoxa 6= included in the list of TVFG Forays for 2015 which Daedaleopsis confragosa 9= will follow later in the year. Russula ochroleuca 9= ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~