A HISTORY OF ENTRENCHED FEARS AND MISCONCEPTIONS HAVE GIVEN FUNGI A BAD RAP. BUT THESE INSPIRATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHS MIGHT JUST CHANGE YOUR MIND... MUSHROOM MAGIC ALL PHOTOGRAPHS BY: GUY EDWARDES / NATUREPL.COM PHOTOGRAPHER GUY EDWARDES TALKS ABOUT GETTING CREATIVE WITH FUNGI IN THE ANCIENT WOODS AROUND HIS HOME. Fungi have always been one of my mould, which can sometimes create favourite subjects to photograph. I think an interesting image, but more often it’s the sheer variety of colours, shapes than not just makes them look scruffy! and textures that appeals most. Unlike It’s important to know a bit about your a lot of natural history subjects, they subject, as certain species will only be don’t fly or run away and many of them found in specific habitats or on a specific don’t even blow around in the breeze, host. Some fungi will last for several so I have time to be creative with my weeks, whereas others emerge and go composition and lighting. I always look over within a day. I’m always on the forward to the autumn months when lookout for new fungi fruiting bodies fungi tend to be at their most prolific. which are just beginning to emerge. I It’s at that time of the year that I get to know then that I will be able to return work in one of my favourite habitats...the the next day and hopefully catch them in fabulous pockets of ancient broadleaved pristine condition. woodland in the south of England. I think a lot of people associate fungi I also enjoy the challenge of hunting with nothing but rot and decay and for them, as many are not that easy to view them as something undesirable, spot. Some are scarce and don’t always rather than an essential and often quite appear in the same places every year. beautiful part of our natural ecosystems. There’s the additional problem that as By photographing them at their most soon as they appear many become an attractive and showing the variety of attractive food source for a variety of beautiful colours and structures, I hope wildlife, so I usually have to spend a to be able to show fungi in a different considerable amount of time searching light and to encourage people to not for perfect specimens that haven’t been only be more aware of them but also nibbled by slugs, snails, birds, deer, invoke a desire to help protect them and squirrels or livestock. Some fungi are (perhaps more importantly) the habitats attacked by other forms of fungus and they depend upon. BONNET MYCENA FUNGUS (Mycena galericulata). New Forest National Park, England, Edwardes found this tiny toadstool growing under the leaves of an ivy sapling in some moss on a fallen beech trunk. The sapling was about 20mm tall. [TOP] Fly agaric fungus (Amanita muscaria) with autumnal Silver birch (Betula pendula) leaf hanging from toadstool. Coral fungus (Ramaria stricta) growing amongst moss and ivy at the base of some old Cypress trees. Pleasant [BOTTOM] Deceiver fungus (Laccaria laccata) with Silver birch leaf in background. autumn colour fills in the background. TOP ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT) Artistic representations of Magpie inkcap fungus (Coprinopsis picacea), Porcelain fungus (Oudemansiella mucida) and a triplet of Mycena toadstools. LEFT Candle-snuff fungus (Xylaria hypoxylon) growing amongst moss. This fungus has RIGHT medicinal properties; it is Porcelain fungus both anti-viral and contains (Oudemansiella mucida), compounds that are active showing gills on undersides. against some human New Forest National Park. carcinomas. BELOW Parrot waxcaps don’t like to be disturbed or sprayed and are found where fields and woodland have been left alone. They are an indicator of grassland quality, appearing on lawns only after years of low-nutrient management. ABOVE Parrot waxcap fungus (Gliophorus psittacinus), a colourful species with caps, gills and stems coated in a thick, glue-like liquid. This specimen is so pristine the reflection of the gills can be seen in its glossy stem. RIGHT Golden waxcap fungus (Hygrocybe chlorophana). It is thought that waxcaps grow in association with mosses. [TOP] Rim lighting was used to pick out these Amethyst deceivers (Laccaria amethystina). Deceiver fungus (Laccaria laccata) on decaying log. New Forest National Park. This orange-brown (sometimes pinkish [BOTTOM] Close encounters of the mushroom kind. This image is reminiscent of a scene from that iconic movie. or cinnamon) cap changes colour depending on whether it is wet or dry. TOP ROW (LEFT TO RIGHT) Honey fungus (Armillaria mellea) gowing on Beech tree; Amethyst deceiver fungus (Laccaria amethystina), showing the lilac stem and gills; trio of toadstools belonging to the Mycena LEFT genus. Sulphur tuft (the same species as shown on the far left) photographed from above. The image shows RIGHT how the caps tend to appear Sulphur tuft fungus so tightly packed that (Hypholoma fasciculare). The they are unable to expand ‘tuft’ part of the name refers regularly. Sulphur tuft has an to the fact that it flourishes attractive honey colour, but in dense clumps. is noxious to humans. Shaggy scalycap fungus (Pholiota squarrosa) on moss covered tree trunk. The species usually appears at the bases of old trees, mainly broadleaved species in ancient woodland. LEFT RIGHT The black bulgar fungus A pair of Mycena toadstools (Bulgaria inquinans) looks like photographed at dusk. flattened pieces of liquorice, but is not generally BELOW considered to be edible. Green wood-cup fungus (Chlorosplenium BELOW aeruginascens) on deadwood. Veined Shield (Pluteus There are very few green thomsonii) on decaying wood mushrooms in the fungus in a broadleaved woodland. world, and almost no others This is a young specimen that resemble these little about 1cm tall. turquoise cups. A pair of tiny toadstools after the rain. A lot of the fungi are very small and would probably go unnoticed by Variable oysterling fungus (Crepidotus variabilis) a tiny, kidney-shaped fungus that appears on dead twigs of normal people. However, Edwardes says these tiny specimens ‘‘can often produce the most interesting images.’’ broad-leaved trees in autumn and winter. TOP ROW [LEFT] A cluster of Mycena toadstools photographed with dramatic lighting. [RIGHT] Elfin saddle fungus (Helvella lacunosa). The caps LEFT of this species take on Porcelain fungus distorted shapes, in this case (Oudemansiella mucida), a resembling a dog’s head. glistening white translucent mushroom, fights off rivals RIGHT with its own powerful fungicide. It is associated Wrinkled club fungus with beech trees and is (Clavulina rugosa). Seen on a edible. When porcelain fungi misty day in dark woodland, grow underneath a fallen these strange little fungi tree trunk or branch their with - Classic ‘ghostly forms’ stems curl over so the caps might just send a fertile face inwards and their gills imagination racing. face outwards. RIGHT: Bonnet mycena fungus (Mycena galericulata) on deadwood in ancient broadleaved woodland, sun shining through trees. LEFT: The Fly agaric fungus (Amanita muscaria) is often associated with fairies and magical creatures, but if eaten it can cause hallucinations and psychotic reactions. RIGHT: Oak-stump bonnet cap fungus (Mycena inclinata) usually occurs in clusters and is nearly always found on dead oak wood. ‘‘Occasionally I find a fungi that is so pristine and so attractive all on its own that there is simply no need for artistic techniques or lighting,’’ says Edwardes. ‘‘These beautiful deceiver (Laccaria laccata) are a prime example.’’ RIGHT Oak-stump bonnet cap fungus (Mycena inclinata). New Forest National Park. BOTTOM ROW: [LEFT] Shaggy scalycap LEFT fungus (Pholiota squarrosa) at Yellow staghorn fungus night; [MIDDLE] Crimped gill (Calocera viscosa) amongst fungus (Plicatura crispa) on moss, in rain. The bright deadwood; [RIGHT] A group orange branches stand out of tiny (15mm) fungi in the against the leaf litter and ‘pin stage’, emerging on the pine needles, bringing a bit underside of a log. of colour to the forest floor. TOP ROW Guy Edwardes is a nature conservation. [LEFT] Collared parachute fungus (Marasmius rotula). leading nature and Edwardes says that [RIGHT] Bonnet mycena landscape photographer, ‘‘living in South West fungus (Mycena galericulata) working mostly in England means I have and Holly (Ilex aquifolium) the British Isles. His a variety of beautiful seedling, New Forest. career began straight landscapes and after graduating with a interesting habitats right RIGHT Contact: Degree in Photography on my doorstep. Many In the case of really tiny from Salisbury College of my most successful fungi, Edwardes uses a [email protected] (Now Wiltshire College) images have been taken technique called focus- +44 (0)117 911 4675 in England, following within a few miles of my stacking to ensure maximum quality and sharpness various courses studying home.’’ throughout the image..