Chairman's Notes

L F S G

Newsletter No. 25 Spring 2009

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Recording the Fungi of

Leicestershire & Rutland Page - 1 - LEICESTERSHIRE FUNGI STUDY GROUP

Committee 2009

Chairman Richard Iliffe Tel: 01455 612769 17 Island Close Hinckley Leicester LE10 1LN

Treasurer Alison Joyce Tel: 07957 457061 113 Darklands Road Swadlincote Derby DE11 0PQ

Librabrian Vacant

Recorder Dr Tom Hering Tel: 01509 672664 33 Langley Drive Kegworth Derby DE74 2DN

Secretary Alison Joyce Tel: 07957 457061 113 Darklands Road Swadlincote Derby DE11 0PQ

Editor Robert Joyce Tel: 0781 7920030 113 Darklands Road Swadlincote Derby DE11 0PQ

Committee Members

Roger Rixon

Tony Prior

Dr Antony Fletcher

Dr Peter Long

The group library is held at the Leicestershire Museums Collections Resources Centre at Barrow on Soar. To arrange a visit to borrow or return a book please contact either Anona Finch or Carolyn Holmes Tel. 01509 815514 or, if unavailable, try Holly Hayes Tel. 0116 267 1950. We are pleased to acknowledge all the help and support we receive from the Leicestershire County Council Environmental Resources team.

CONTENTS

Chairman’s Notes 3 Swithland Wood Report 12th October 2008 4 The Inkcaps 5 Fungi Crossword Puzzle 7 Foray Records in 2007 and 2008 8 Interview with the Chairman 9 Martinshaw Wood Report 14th August 2008 10 Cropston Water Centre 15th October 2008 11 Book Review: “Mushroom Miscellany” by Patrick Harding 13 English Names for Fungus Families 14 Cordyceps – Carnivorous fungi!! 15 Photographs 16

FRONT COVER: Oyster Mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) © Mike Middleton

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Chairman’s Notes

Our last Newsletter was in the spring of 2007. Hopes of a 2008 follow-up were delayed because of concerns about the high costs of printing relative to our subscription income. We agreed, however, that the expenditure was worthwhile, and maybe we can make a few savings without losing quality. I hope that you will enjoy the style and content of this issue. It has been collated and edited by Rob Joyce and we are greatly indebted to him for his skill, enthusiasm and hard work

Several long-term projects were mentioned in 2007. One target that we have achieved was the setting up of a website. Thanks to the efforts of Rob Joyce, with advice from the Records Centre at Holly Hayes and support from Tony Fletcher, we now have a very competent website that explains what we do and, hopefully, gives an indication of the pleasure we get from doing it! For those members who have not yet visited the web pages the address is: www.leicsfungi.btik.com

Tom Hering has brought our recording up-to-date and all our finds to the end of 2007 are now on our database and ready for transfer to the Records Centre at Holly Hayes. This task is of course never-ending, and the 2008 records now have to be entered, and 2009 is already producing data! Thanks are due to Tom for dedicating so much time to this task each year.

During 2008 we entered all the herbarium specimens held at the Barrow on Soar museum into our records database. Tom Hering again did most of the work, guided by Tony Fletcher, and with a few of us as occasional assistants. Tom’s next project is to bring our Vice-county check-list up to date so that we know how many species we have found in Leicestershire and Rutland, and have some idea of how frequent or rare they are. Using this information we can then move on to drafting a Red-data list of local fungi. These tasks become more complex the more one learns about them. Both will require careful thought and a great deal of work.

Looking back at the forays we have two autumn seasons to review. Tom has given us some notes on unusual finds, and I have included some 2008 notes that were written soon after the events. Everybody will remember that 2007 was cool and wet, except for a very dry September, and that the fungi were well below average. 2008 was better and more productive, though strange. The cool and damp summer, particularly July and August, brought the fungi on in a prolific early flush, and we thought we were in for a bumper season. Then, suddenly, all the common and familiar toadstools disappeared and, during the peak month of October, although conditions seemed perfect, the fungi did not respond. The common mushrooms and toadstools were missing but, for reasons unknown, we found various unusual or rare species. Most were identified but I was personally frustrated by a number of small brown jobs and several Mycena look-alikes with strange spores that I was unable to identify, even to genus. Part of the problem, of course, is taking a dozen collections home from a foray and not having enough time to work on them all. With hindsight it is better to work thoroughly on one or two, and bin the others, rather than to spend ten minutes on each and identify none satisfactorily! I hope this strikes a chord with other mycologists and that I am not just parading my own inadequacies.

Richard Iliffe

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Swithland Wood Report 12th October 2008

Swithland Wood is normally one of the The best way of identifying this species in most productive sites in Charnwood for the field is from the spore colour – rusty fungi, but for some reason fruit-bodies brown and not the very dark brown of were thin on the ground this particular Sulphur Tuft spores. Spore deposits can weekend, possibly because the early flush often be found on the lower caps in a during a very damp autumn had exhausted dense cluster. their fruiting energy. We listed only forty species, most of them relatively common We found a strikingly scarlet Russula in and found every year. the group that are collectively called The Sickeners due to their emetic properties. We did, however, find some that were There are several, and they are worthy of note. We saw several groups of separated by the tree with which they the Dark Honey Fungus Armillaria associate. In this case we found the ostoyae, on old stumps, possibly of beech. Beechwood Sickener Russula nobilis These were a bit ‘over the hill’, but soon (Russula mairei in older field guides). after we found a good cluster of Pholiota Another Russula found nearby has also squarrosa, the Shaggy Scalycap, growing had a name change - the Rosy Brittlegill around the base of a living oak trunk, and Russula aurora, which was formerly the photographers at last had something to called R. rosea. This is one of my hold their attention. favourites and is a lovely pink colour, growing with beech and not at all common locally. Another attractive pink toadstool was Mycena rosea, the Rosy Bonnet - a species that was first recorded locally only a few years ago, now we seem to be finding it quite frequently.

A good Charnwood species, seldom seen anywhere else in the county, is Amanita excelsa, the Grey Spotted Amanita. This name illustrates the difference from the lethally poisonous A. pantherina, the

Pholiota squarrosa (c) Rob Joyce Panther Cap, which has white, not grey,

spots on the cap. We have never We also found Pholiota alnicola, the Alder recorded this latter species in Scalycap, a closely related species that is Leicestershire. not at all common. This can be confusing to identify as it grows in clusters and looks This was a very pleasant and enjoyable very like Hypholoma fasciculare, the walk, in excellent weather. It was a shame Sulphur Tuft. It can grow on alders, that there was not more to see. Over though we usually find it on other some thirty years of taking an interest in deciduous trees. In this case it was fungi I have learned that there is nothing growing on an old stump that was in a predictable about them! well-drained and dry location and very unlikely to have been alder.

Richard Iliffe

Page - 4 - The Inkcaps

Most of us know what the Inkcap fungi are like. They are toadstools with a spore-print that is black or nearly so, and their range of colours is restricted - from white to dark grey, with some of them dull reddish-brown when young. They vary greatly in size, as the Shaggy Inkcap may be up to eight inches tall, while the Pleated Inkcap that we find on lawns is a delicate thing, usually under one inch in diameter. The gills, compared with those of most other toadstools, are very thin and very closely spaced. In some, this property has led to the feature that gives rise to the 'Inkcap' name. If the gills remained intact in a large inkcap, the spores liberated from the upper part of the gill might often fail to fall clear, owing to catching on the gill lower down. So in these larger species, such as the Shaggy Inkcap, the spores ripen progressively upwards from the bottom edge of the gill. Once the spores have been dispersed, that part of the gill is dissolved by enzymes, and drips away as a liquid, which is black from the remaining spores that it contains. A few years ago, Derrick Palmer demonstrated to us that the black liquid from the Coprinus comatus (c) Tom Hering Shaggy Inkcap could actually be used as ink. Some popular handbooks contain the statement that flies feeding on this black liquid are the major means of dispersal of the fungus. This is not so; about a hundred years ago Buller demonstrated that the vast majority of spores fall clear, and are dispersed by air currents, as in other toadstools. We have over 100 species of inkcaps in Britain. The majority of them are small toadstools, with narrow gills that do not need to be dissolved away. So the smaller ones do not generate any ink, but the name 'Inkcap' has stuck to them anyway.

I have avoided using any Latin names so far, but now I have to announce that big changes are coming. We have been used to including all the inkcaps, large or small, in a single genus Coprinus. Recent work in Canada, on DNA and other features, has shown that the inkcaps, as a group, do not belong together. The Shaggy Inkcap and a few others are close relatives of the mushrooms (Agaricus), while the rest are probably related to other dark-spored toadstools, such as Psathyrella. Because the Shaggy Inkcap - Coprinus comatus - is the type species, it takes with it into the Agaricaceae the name Coprinus, which is now restricted to a quite small genus. These are the only inkcaps that develop genuine upturned scales on the cap as they age. New generic names had to be found for the rest of the inkcaps, and it has been judged best to create three new genera - Parasola, Coprinellus and Coprinopsis.

Parasola is easily recognised - these are the tiny delicate ones, like the Pleated Inkcap (Parasola plicatilis). Apart from their small size, they are demarcated by having no veil and no setules (I explain on the next page what these are).

Parasola plicatilis (c) Tom Hering

Page - 5 - Coprinellus and Coprinopsis nearly always have veils. In those species of Coprinellus that have not, there are setules on the cap - delicate projecting structures that somewhat resemble the gill cystidia. They can be seen with a hand-lens as a whitish 'bloom' on the fresh cap and under the microscope, are helpful features for identification. But of course they are easily destroyed by careless handling. The Fairy Inkcap (Coprinellus disseminatus) - otherwise known as the Trooping Toadstool - is the commonest inkcap that has setules. Coprinellus disseminatus (c) Tom Hering

In Coprinellus the cap surface is made up of roundish cells, while in Coprinopsis it consists of parallel hyphae radiating from the cap centre. (It would be a useful mnemonic if Coprinopsis, spelt with an extra 'O', had the round cells, and Coprinellus, with its two lower-case 'Ls', had the parallel hyphae - but unfortunately it's the wrong way round!). Of our two most commonly found inkcaps, the Glistening Inkcap is Coprinellus micaceus, while the Common Inkcap is Coprinopsis atramentaria. Most of the books now in print do not take account of all these new names, but they do figure in the recent Scandinavian book Funga Nordica (in English, but not cheap).

Coprinellus micaceus (c) Tom Hering Coprinopsis atramentaria (c) Tom Hering

It is still not easy to identify the many inkcaps. A microscope is needed, as the size and shape of spores, and the structure of the veil, are very significant features for identification. But the most important thing is to get to work on your specimen very quickly. Otherwise the larger ones will dissolve into puddles of ink, while the smaller ones, which are very thin- fleshed, will rapidly wilt and shrink. Another point I might make here. The only other dark-spored genera that might be confused with an inkcap are Psathyrella and Panaeolus. However, there is a field test that I think is infallible. If you see a striate margin in one of these two genera, it is caused by the gills being viewed through a somewhat transparent cap. But in a small inkcap, the stripes will be actual furrows, resembling corduroy cloth in miniature. Of the hundred-odd British species of old Coprinus, we seem to have records for just over 50. The missing ones are mostly smaller species, and we will only record some of these if we acquire a member who really enjoys spending his or her time examining dung-heaps.

Tom Hering

Page - 6 - FUNGI CROSSWORD PUZZLE

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2. This mythical creature may use a Scarlet Cup (3) 1. The common name of this genus is Shield (7) 4. Reproductive cell of a fungus (5) 2. Cause of the disease known as 6. The Latin name for the Death Cap’s genus (7) St.Antony’s Fire (5) 7. Edible fungi found in supermarkets (9) 3. This is found around the stem 10. This genus is dangerous to caterpillars (9) of some mushrooms (4) 11. Coprinus comatus dissolves into this (3) 5. English name for the genus Volvariella (8) 13. An Earth___ is a poisonous fungus. (4) 7. The study of fungi is known as____ (8) 14. Agaricus xanthodermus stains what colour? (6) 8. A symbiotic relationship between 15. A walk to find fungi (5) plants and fungi (10) 16. Mitrula paludosa grows in these? (4) 9. A genus of fungi commonly 18. Toadstools growing in rings known as Bonnets (6) are the work of these folklore creatures (5) 12. A seat for natterjack, perhaps? (9) 21. One of the most recorded fungi in Britain, 17. An earthy mouthful? (11) Stereum hirsutum in other words (5,7,5) 19. This genus is often deceiving (8) 24. The common name of this fungus is the 20. A truffle genus (5) back end of a popular christmas dinner (10) 22. Shaggy Inkcap is a member 25. Truffles are ____ fungi of genus ______(8) unlike puffballs which are common (4) 23. The common name of this genus 26. Home to Agaricus campestris (5) will protect you in battle (6) 27. Expensive underground delicacies (8) 28. A rich fungi substrate provided by animals such as cows (4) ANSWERS ON PAGE 15

Page - 7 - Foray Records in 2007 and 2008

Neither of these two years is going to be remembered as a vintage year, but they were both reasonably good for fungal recording. Beacon Hill in Charnwood Forest was the best site, with a list of 74 species in Sept. 2007, and 80 in Sept. 2008, while several other forays yielded lists of 60 or over. But now that we have nearly 40,000 records for the two counties under our belt, what interests a Recorder is quality rather than quantity.

To start with, there were seven new species of agarics. At Swithland Wood in 2007, we found Lepiota grangei (Green Dapperling). Like other small Lepiotas, it is thickly powdered on cap and stem with little scales, but these are green, not brown, making it easily recognised. In 2008 Prior's Coppice yielded two novel finds - Marasmius wynnei (Pearly Parachute)and Limacella glioderma. The Marasmius is a tough and elastic litter fungus, which might be mistaken for Mycena galericulata, but has a faint lilac tinge and a stem which is brown in the lower half. The Limacella is a good-sized reddish toadstool, in an uncommon genus related to Amanita. I have seen it a few times, but only in Yorkshire or the Lake District. I made the same mistake as I did in the 1960's - trying first to look it up as a Tricholoma. The new list of English names calls one member of this genus a 'Slimecap' - a name unworthy of a handsome fungus. Other important finds were made in 2008 at Charnwood Lodge - Leccinum variicolor (Mottled Bolete) and Mycena crocata (Saffrondrop Bonnet). The first is close to the Birch Bolete, but with a grey, not brown, cap and shows blue-green staining when the stem is cut; and the Mycena is distinctive because it exudes orange milk. Also in 2008 there were two small fungi in large genera - Inocybe petiginosa (Scurfy Fibrecap) at Ulverscroft, and Entoloma politum at Sheepy Wood. Another new toadstool came from a visit by Richard to East Langton - the Satin Shield (Pluteus plautus).

Also new records for smaller fungi. Of these the most unusual was Hainesia rubi at Burley Wood, a parasite on the common rust of blackberries. In 2008 at Martinshaw, we encountered Cristulariella depraedens, a leaf-parasite causing characteristic blotches on sycamore leaves. One young tree was heavily infected. There was also Monodictys putredinis on an oak twig at Cademan in 2007, and a Hypoxylon new to us at Cloud Wood in 2008. This was H.bullata, growing on willow - it is surprising we never noticed this on earlier visits. There is really quite a long list of other species for which we have ten records or less. Among these are Tricholoma cingulatum (Girdled Knight), which we have only ever recorded at New Lount Reserve, and T. scalpturatum (Yellowing Knight) which occurred at New Lount and now also, in 2008, at Cropston Waterworks.

Tom Hering

Fungal Fact

Fungi sometimes adopt unusual methods to disperse their spores – they sometimes use insects to ensure future fungi colonies. One example of this is the Stinkhorn, Phallus impudicus. The fruiting body grows upwards from an egg with a bell shaped head that is covered in a foul smelling slime. This smell resembles rotting meat and therefore attracts flies to the fungus. This sticky slime contains the fungus spores. The flies land on the fruiting body and the spores stick to the insects legs. The flies then move on transferring the spores rapidly over greater distances ensuring spores reach new and fertile grounds.

Page - 8 - Interview with the Chairman

Richard Iliffe is a founder member of the LFSG and has been Chairman since 1988. However, his interest in natural history is much wider than mycology; I caught up with him to find out a little more......

What first triggered your interest in natural history? I grew up in south Leicestershire and became friendly with local naturalist and author J C (Jack) Badcock. He was a very competent all-round naturalist and a first class teacher – by around the age of twelve I knew all the common birdsongs and most of the local wildflowers.

How did this interest develop as you moved into the world of work? Work, evening classes and other study took a growing proportion of my spare time and I drifted away from natural history. I worked as a trainee engineer in the water industry. I eventually became qualified and left home to follow a career in civil engineering construction. I retained only a sporadic interest in natural history over the next twenty or so years when work happened to take me to particularly interesting places.

What sparked your interest again? In my early-forties I found myself working long hours on a motorway construction contract in Kent and I started taking evening walks for relaxation. My interest in birds and plants returned and I began to devote much more time to natural history. A move to north London followed, where I was restricted to Hampstead Heath and occasional weekend visits home. I joined London Natural History Society but found it too high-powered with most of the members being national experts in their subject, and I soon gave up my membership.

Did this experience discourage you joining further groups? Not at all, I made the move back to Leicestershire working for a construction company with a regional office in Hinckley. I joined Hinckley & District Natural History Society and one of the first meetings I attended was a talk on fungi by Christopher Scotter of Leicester City Museums Service. I then attended his evening classes at Hinckley College for two years. I became one of the founder members of Leicestershire Fungi Study Group in 1980 and, rather to my surprise, was elected Chairman from 1988.

Was it a conscious decision to specialise in fungi? No, it was more of a natural progression. I started an Open University degree course, initially to study geology and earth sciences. I later switched to biology and other natural sciences and achieved an honours degree in 1997. However, my interest in mycology had taken precedence over other interests as I gained more experience and I started to attend national events with the British Mycological Society in 1990. I was elected to the Foray Committee of that Society in 1999, serving a double term until 2005. I also became a member of an informal committee for establishing and encouraging Local Fungus Groups. Happily I have been able to enjoy learning about fungi while keeping up my interests in birds, flowers and other wildlife.

What are your hopes for the future of the LFSG? We have a thriving membership, and I am pleased that we have recently attracted a number of skilled photographers into the Group. We have a reputation for reliable recording, and we have added enormously to knowledge and understanding of our local fungi. We have also enjoyed friendly relationships within the Group. With new enthusiasts joining us in recent years I am sure we shall continue in the same manner long into the future.

Alison Joyce

Page - 9 - Martinshaw Wood Report 14th August 2008

An enthusiastic group of members turned out for this evening walk which traditionally opens our autumn fungus season. The weather had been very unsettled for the previous week and some fungi had responded by producing early fruiting bodies. The most prolific was Collybia dryophila the Russet Toughshank. When our Group was established in the early 1980’s this would invariably be the most common small toadstool found each year, particularly early in the season. For reasons unknown it has now become extremely scarce in our local woods and we are now pleasantly surprised to find it. On this particularly evening it was the most common fungus and we came across it frequently. We also recorded its relative Collybia fusipes, the Spindle Toughshank, in two locations. This attractive fungus is easy to identify from the dark red-brown colour and the tough stem, which is usually rooting from buried wood and is invariably tapered top and bottom, giving a spindle shape, hence the English name.

One of the fascinations of fungus forays is that every season throws up surprises, even on familiar ground. For the first time in Martinshaw Wood we found Leucocoprinus brebissonii. This is a very delicate white mushroom with a near-black central disc which reminded someone of the close fitting Victorian skull-cap, providing the English name Skullcap Dapperling. Until recently we only had records of this from the greenhouses in Leicester University Botanic Gardens then, a few years ago, Steve and Ros Smith found a large colony in a wood on their farm at Shenton. A week before our Martinshaw walk they had reported finding masses of fruiting bodies, so early August must be time to look out for this beautiful little fungus.

A find that puzzled us at the time was a small white mushroom with very white gills and with a ring on the stem. Over a few hours, as the spores matured and changed colour, this eventually turned out to be an unusually small specimen of Agaricus silvicola, the White Wood Mushroom. This highlights why many common mushrooms and toadstools cannot be instantly identified – they can be so variable and can change so much during the development process.

A single tiny pink fungus with a dark stem was found, half hidden beneath grasses. Tom Hering was able to identify this as Marasmius graminum which, as the scientific name suggests, associates with old stems of grasses. It is very uncommon locally and may be a first county record.

Another unusual find was a dense showing of pinkish round spots on fresh leaves of Sycamore. At first sight it was not easy to determine whether this was a fungus or insect damage, but Tom Hering was convinced that it was fungal. Reference to Ellis & Ellis Microfungi on Land Plants revealed it to be a new record for Leicestershire called Cristulariella depraedens. This leaf infection is something that might be noticed by a specialist in plant galls, rather than a mycologist, and it is worth looking out for in other locations, particularly at a time when fungal or insect attacks on leaves of our common trees seem to be occurring more frequently.

We recorded twenty-five species, some of them distinctly uncommon, This was a very enjoyable walk on a sunny evening that defied the rather threatening weather forecast.

Richard Iliffe

Page - 10 - Cropston Water Centre 15th October 2008

We were fortunate to have a lovely sunny The first two are white to cream coloured, afternoon for our mid-week visit to and both stain yellow when rubbed. The Cropston Water Centre. This former last is covered with brownish scales and waterworks and pumping station lies just stains reddish in the flesh when cut or downstream of Cropston Reservoir dam. broken. These colour changes are useful The grounds still show the grandeur of to confirm the identity of these nineteenth century municipal water mushrooms. engineering. The old sand filter beds, now filled in and grassed over, were Many fungi can be identified by smell. We constructed in geometrical symmetry found Clitocybe fragrans, the Fragrant beside the Victorian pumphouse, all Funnel, and Clitocybe odora, the Aniseed surrounded by ornamental flower beds Toadstool, both smelling of aniseed, and shrub borders, with plantings of depending perhaps on the senses of the various trees, now approaching maturity. individual. In contrast we found a The buildings once housed a steam driven Clitocybe with an offensive smell. We beam engine which pumped treated water thought the smell was strongly meally, but to Leicester. As a trainee civil engineer we could not agree on an identity on site. working there (too many years ago!) I Back home Tom Hering named it as the recall that the ‘beam’ was 33 feet long, Chicken Run Funnel Clitocybe and the flywheel 22 feet diameter, the phaeothalma. The smell of chicken whole structure extending through three houses reported in the literature is not a quite large storeys, each stroke of the smell that readily comes to the mind, so pump pistons thudding through the this was of little help to us at the time, but building with clockwork regularity. This Tom was able to identify his collection magnificent machine was taken out and from the distinctive inflated cells in the cap replaced by two small electric pumps in cuticle. the 1950’s. Sadly the old beam engine was cut up for scrap. The whole area was out of bounds to the general public during its heyday, for reasons of hygiene and security, so very few people had the opportunity to see the beautifully laid out filter beds and gardens, or the grand buildings. The pump-house building is now a conference centre and it also provides classroom facilities, offering children access to an outdoor environment away from their city-based schools.

The mycological interest arises from the variety of mature trees, including beech, pine and other conifers, and from the length of time that the grounds have been undisturbed, allowing time for fungi to form relationships, and to become established in the lawns. Among the shrub borders we found three different mushrooms, all relatively common; the Horse Mushroom Agaricus arvensis, the Wood Mushroom Agaricus silvicola, and the Blushing Wood Mushroom Agaricus silvaticus. Aniseed Toadstool (c) Rob Joyce

Page - 11 - We found one Fly Agaric Amanita muscaria, These are less striking in appearance than but the surprise of the afternoon was to see a the Lepiotas, being mainly dull brown with group of half a dozen rather ageing a scaly or fibrous cap. They are specimens of Amanita phalloides, the Death collectively known as Fibrecaps. Tom was Cap. They were growing in grass under able to identify two, Inocybe cincinnata conifers, with a beech tree nearby. This is a and Inocybe pelargonium, said to smell of really uncommon species with us and it is the leaves of pelargonium. And to keep many years since we found it on a foray. It the smelly theme going, we were pleased was helpful to be able to demonstrate the to find Macrocystidia cucumis, growing in main features to the members present. a group in grass under conifers. This little brown species is another that we seldom find – as the scientific name suggests it smells of cucumber.

We seldom find Tricholoma species - maybe they prefer less acid soils, or perhaps we have too few beech or pine woods in Leicestershire. We were pleased to find three species this afternoon; Tricholoma scalpturatum, which has a meally smell and stains yellowish as it ages, Tricholoma terreum, a grey species with a fibrous cap which has several ‘look-alikes’, and Tricholoma ”Plums and Custard” (c) Rob Joyce ustale, a brown species which grows with beech. We were pleased to find specimens of Lepiota cristata, the Stinking Dapperling – It was satisfying to find a near perfect another species with a strong smell, this time group of Plums and Custard, of burnt rubber. A related find was the Tricholomopsis rutilans, as we uncommon Lepiota aspera, the Freckled approached the end of our walk, which Dapperling, attractive to look at and reported provided great photo opportunities. In all to have an offensive smell, though we could we recorded over sixty species, a number not detect it. of them uncommon. We are grateful to Severn Trent Water for permission to Many of these small Lepiotas are thought to make the visit. We are already making be poisonous, unlike the large Macrolepiota plans to visit again in 2009, hopefully species. Also poisonous are most of the during a weekend so that more members Inocybe species. are able to join us.

Richard Iliffe

Fungal Fact

A fungus was one of the main causes for the vast number of Irish emigrants travelling to New York in the 18th Century. This fungus was known as Potato Blight

Phytophthora infestans. Ireland was critically dependant on the potato crop, both as food and as a source of income for the majority of the population. The fungal disease caused crops to fail and the stored tubers to rot. During the Irish potato famine between 1845 and 1850 an estimated one million people died, and a further one million emigrated to seek a better life elsewhere

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Book Review: “Mushroom Miscellany” by Patrick Harding

“Mushroom Miscellany” by Patrick Harding Published by Collins, London, 2008. ISBN -13 978 0 00 728464 I

Every fungus enthusiast from the casual weekender to the expert mycologist should own a field identification guide. Such books are an essential part of the tool-kit needed for properly recognizing and classifying specimens found when out foraying. Harding’s book however takes a different, although equally illuminating approach. Rather than solely providing the usual identification information such as biology, habitat and genus, it describes to readers the myths, legends and folklore associated with this fascinating Kingdom.

The book is divided into several short chapters. Each chapter focuses on species which have a part in our history (such as Honey Fungus, Fly Agaric and Dry Rot), or on a particular area of interest for example, medicinal, or mushroom cultivation for grocery retail.

The book begins by explaining what fungi are, how many species we recognise and how they are classified. It also details the key people who operate in the field of mycology providing an insight into the development of our understanding in this area. The book is unusual in its style; it is informative and easy to read rather than consisting purely of academic terms. It provides information in context with background stories which make the book both entertaining and educational.

The chapter ‘Mushrooms or Toadstools’ deals with the origin of these terms – what is the difference between these two names? Other chapters such as ‘The Fifth Kingdom’ and ‘Mushroom Folders and Files’ introduce Classification and Taxonomy and how they have grown and developed over time. The book takes a practical stance and touches on the problems associated with increasing numbers of species being discovered as new studies are undertaken - one of the key consequences of this being numerous name changes meaning that the acquisition of knowledge in this area is a constantly moving target.

A chapter on fungus disease entitled ‘St Anthony’s Fire’ details the causes, spread and treatment of Ergotism, an horrific disease caused by Claviceps purpurea or Ergot. In contrast, in the chapter ‘Mycelial Meals’, Harding talks about fungi in food production and how this has developed the fungal protein, Quorn – one of the leading meat substitutes for vegetarians. The final chapter ‘Poetry, Prose, Pop and Pictures’ is dedicated to how fungi has featured in art and literature and is packed with quotes.

The overall feel of the book is user friendly as it is well ordered and logically set out with chapters on varying topics flowing well together. The whole piece is crammed with facts and interesting stories. It is illustrated beautifully with high quality photographs, diagrams and paintings varying from full page colour to smaller inserts taken from a range of sources. Each one adds texture and interest to the publication.

Although you would need big pockets to carry this one around we recommend it for any enthusiast’s book shelf or coffee table.

Alison & Robert Joyce

Page - 13 -

English Names for Fungus Families

Many members may not have access to the list of Recommended English names for Fungi. We haven’t space to print the names of all the 1000 species covered, but here are those of the most familiar groups or families.

Agaricus = Mushrooms Lactarius = Milkcaps Amanita = Amanitas Leccinum = Boletes Bolbitius = Fieldcaps Lepiota = Dapperlings Boletus = Boletes Lepista = Blewits Bovista = Puffballs Lycoperdon = Puffballs Calocybe = Domecaps Macrolepiota = Parasols Clavulina = Corals Marasmius = Parachutes Clavulinopsis = Clubs or Spindles Melanoleuca = Cavaliers Clitocybe = Funnels Mycena = Bonnets Collybia = Toughshanks Naucoria = Aldercaps Conocybe = Conecaps Otidea = Ears Coprinus = Inkcaps Panaeolus = Mottlegills Cortinarius = Webcaps Panellus = Oysterlings Crepidotus = Oysterlings Peziza = Cups Cystoderma = Powdercaps Pholiota = Scalycaps Entoloma = Pinkgills Pleurotus = Oysters Galerina = Bells Pluteus = Shields Geastrum = Earthstars Psathyrella = Brittlestems Gymnopilus = Rustgills Ramaria = Corals Hebeloma = Poisonpies Rickenella = Mosscaps Helvella = Saddles Russula = Brittlegills Hydnellum = Tooths Stereum = Crusts Hygrocybe = Waxcaps Stropharia = Roundheads Hygrophorus = Woodwax Suillius = Boletes Hypholoma = Brownies Tremella = Brains Hypoxylon = Woodwarts Tricholoma = Knights Inocybe = Fibrecaps Tubaria = Twiglets Laccaria = Deceivers Xylaria = Fingers Volvariella = Rosegills

Fungal Fact

Probably the most sought after fungus is the White Truffle found mainly in Italy’s Piedmont region, due to it being a culinary delicacy. Truffles are sold for thousands of pounds and are traditionally found using pigs, sometimes known as “Truffle Hogs”. Truffles are also found here in England, the commonest being the British Summer Truffle, Tuber aestivum.

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Cordyceps – Carnivorous Fungi!!

I am always astonished by the variety, forms and nature that fungi take and by the fact that no matter how many times you visit the local reserves, woods and fields there is always something new to discover. The most interesting new discovery for me last season was Cordyceps militaris or “The Scarlet Caterpillar Fungus”

Fungi belonging to the genus Cordyceps have spores that germinate within the body of an insect such as a moth, bee or caterpillar. The spores then penetrate through the cuticle of the insect’s body and develop into hyphae, killing the insect. After a short period of time the entire internal body of the insect becomes a solid mass of the mycelium within the shell of the insect. When the time comes for the fungus to create it’s fruiting bodies these grow outwards through the insect’s outer casing.

C. militaris is the most common example of this insect killing fungus found in the UK. It grows typically on dead caterpillars buried in soil and was recorded this season at Ulverscroft Reserve where eight specimens were found. The fruiting bodies are Cordyceps militaris (c) Rob Joyce red orange in colour, club shaped tapering paler white towards the caterpillar. The red tops “poking” through the soil are quite visible in grass to the keen eye. The name “militaris” may have been assigned as the fruiting bodies look like red toy soldiers.

One of the specimens continued to fruit for several weeks after being collected from Ulverscroft despite being removed from the soil. This fungus has to be one of the most fascinating I have seen and I will certainly be keeping watch for further specimens and other Cordyceps fungi.

Robert Joyce Fungal Fact

Fungi can be very destructive. Dry Rot Crossword Answers (Serpula lacrymans) is responsible for

Across Down destroying wooden elements within homes. If 2.Elf 1.Pluteus these wooden timbers are structural it can 4.Spore 2.Ergot lead to more serious incidents such as roofs 6.Amanita 3.Ring 7.Mushrooms 5.Rosegill collapsing and people falling through floors 10.Cordyceps 7.Mycology and stairways weakened by the fungus. 11.Ink 8.Mycorrhiza Prevention of this fungus spreading is 13.Ball 9.Mycena 14.Yellow 12.Toadstool therefore crucial as it can cost thousands to 15.Foray 17.Earthtongue repair the damage. For Dry Rot to take hold it 16.Bogs 19.Laccaria 18.Fairy 20.Tuber needs wood with a moisture content of 20% 21.HairyCurtainCrust 22. Coprinus plus high levels of humidity – this is vital 24.TurkeyTail 23. Shield knowledge to avoid it’s attacking properties! 25.Rare 26.Field The cure is removal of all infected timber and 27.Truffles improved ventilation 28.Dung

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PHOTOGRAPHS!!!!!

Some photgraphs taken by members on forays during the 2006 season. Send us photos for next issue!!

““ArmillariaThe Chanterelle ostoyae – –one a common of our local Honey “A striking Amythest Deceiver” Fungus”rarities” ©Photo Photo Martinshaw Antony Fletcher Wood 2006 © Photo © Mike Middleton Richard Iliffe

“The rare Grassland Puffball Lycoperdon lividum” Photo New Lount Reserve 2008 Photo at Cloud Wood © Steve Smith © Rob Joyce

Editor’s Note

We need your help with future publications of LFSG Newsletters. If anyone has any articles, illustrations, photographs or anything that can be included in the next edition then please forward them to me in any format – my details are on the inside cover. We appreciate any contributions.

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