Pembrokeshire Fungus Recorder Issue 2/2012 Published quarterly by the Pembrokeshire Fungus Recording Network www.pembsfungi.org.uk Contents Fungus records A bracket on Sea Buckthorn (PAJ) An unusual fungus on Camellia (PAJ/RNS) An interesting rust on Box (DJH) PFRN 2011 report BLS/FSC Lichen course Photo: Anthracobia macrocystis an example of a fire-site fungus (see page 2). Introduction The 3 months between newsletter issues seems to race around in no time at all. In addition to our usual roundup of recent records we have 2 fascinating articles from our Carmarthenshire correspondents, Philip Jones and Nigel Stringer, with ideas for new species to look out for in Pembrokeshire, whilst our 2011 report provides a chance to reflect on some of the exciting finds from last year. Enthusiasts who wish to learn something about lichens should consider the 2 introductory courses to be run at Orielton Field Centre in May. We are very fortunate to have access to these courses on our doorstep - well worth following up. Finally, a reminder about the British Mycological Society common fungi survey which started last year. The survey asks for records for 6 common and readily identifiable species to help build up a better national picture for their distribution. Whilst we made a useful contribution in 2011, I am sure we have many more records out there jusrt waiting to be captured. As before, please send all records to me in the first instance so they can be included in our local database. A copy of the original BMS flyer will be circulated with this newsletter. Auricularia auricula-judae (Jew’s Ear, now also known as Jelly Ear) an exam- David Harries, PFRN coordinator ple of a species which can be recorded at ([email protected]) any time of the year as this wintery image suggests. April 2012 Fungus records Winter waxcaps A very mild autum provided a bonus for waxcap-watchers with fruiting continuing through December and into the New Year. Here at Somerton a Christmas day walk around the farm produced 10 species, though a few were past their prime. Elsewhere in the County, Janet Atkinson reported 3 different wax- cap species on 27th December, whilst Mike Karpaty bagged the last record for the year with Hygrocybe calyptriformis (pictured right) from Minwear Woods on the 30th December. Sightings continued into the New Year with Waxcap species recorded from 25th Dec - 8th Jan. 5 waxcap species on the Deer Park, Marloes, Hygrocybe calyptriformis Hygrocybe irrigata on the 7th January (Jane Hodges), and 3 Hygrocybe ceracea Hygrocybe pratensis species from Moylegrove (Janet Atkinson). Hygrocybe chlorophana Hygrocybe psittacina Peter Byles and Tony Lewis chipped in with Hygrocybe coccinea Hygrocybe punicea additional records to bring the grand total for Hygrocybe conica Hygrocybe quieta waxcap species recorded from 25th Decem- Hygrocybe fornicata Hygrocybe virginea ber to the 8th of January to a very creditable 12. Fire-site fungi Although February is a rather quiet month in the mycological calendar, Vicky Tomlinson came up with two really nice finds on bonfire sites on the local nature reserve at Freshwater East. The first species, Anthracobia macrocystis (left photo), forms clusters of orange discs up to 5 mm diameter and was present in large numbers at several different fire-sites. This was a first County record and the fourth record for Wales. Fire-sites can support a range of specialist fungi The second species, Ascobolus carbonarius (right in which fruiting is induced either through the photo), was found at just one site and was rather action of heat on the spores or in response to less conspicuous. This species develops initially chemical changes arising from the fire - princi- as small brown cups, later flattening out to a disc pally an increase in alkalinity. up to 6-8 mm wide. Again, this was a first County record and only the third record for Wales. Update on an earthtongue from Stackpole In our last bulletin we reported on the discovery of an uncommon Geoglos- sum species from Stackpole. Paul Cannon at Kew has looked at the speci- men and advised that the species is most likely to be Geoglossum atropurpureum. This is a UKBAP priority species not previously recorded in Pembrokeshire, so is an excellent addition to the County list. 2 A second Hypocreopsis record from Carmarthenshire News has come through of an exciting find in Carmarthen- shire - believed to be Hazel Gloves (Hypocreopsis rhododen- dri) - just the second record for the County. A sample has been sent to Gareth Griffith at Aberystwyth University for DNA sequencing to confirm the identification. Lizzie Wilberforce reported the find to Philip Jones (County Recorder) and Sam Bosanquet after discovering the speci- men during site management for brown hairstreak butterfly. The site was on a moderately steep slope near a watercourse in the bottom of a valley and is described as old blackthorn and hazel with lots of dead wood, much of it covered in mosses. Sam Bosanquet suggests this find, following on from his discovery in 2010, may mean there is an established population in inland Carmarthenshire. Gyromitra esculenta from Newport Tony Lewis reported this fine example of Gyromitra esculenta, the False Morel, from a raised bed in his garden in Newport. Tony notes that the garden overlies sand - which fits well with the usual habitat for this species - sandy soil. The fruitbodies can grow into quite large specimens, up to 150 mm across and 120 mm high. The name is somewhat misleading as esculenta suggests good eating whilst in fact this is one of the more poisonous species that a collector may encounter. The fruitbodies contain an active substance called gyromitrin which becomes converted in the body to another toxic compound called monomethylhydrazine (which incidentally is used as rocket fuel!). Gyromitrin is toxic to the central nervous system, liver and gastrointestinal tract, and even small amounts of the toxin may have a cumulative long term effect. In spite of this, the species is regarded as edible and highly prized in some countries. There, the normal practice is to parboil in several changes of water to remove as much of the toxic material as possible. In spite of this, a significant number of deaths occur each year as a result of ingestion of False Morels . Peziza apiculata - new to Wales We included a report on Peter Thomson's most recent finds from the County in newsletter 4/2011. Peter has just contacted us to advise of yet another first Welsh record: Peziza apiculata which he notes as a brown, fleshy disc-fungus growing on a willow branch, at the Mere Pool Valley, Bosherston. The species, which can grow up to 20 mm in diameter, has distinctive spores with bristle like append- ages. Peter sent details to the German mycologist Zotto Baral who kindly provided the identification. After discounting duplicate records, the Fungus Records Database shows fewer than 20 UK records for the species. 3 Fomitiporia (Phellinus) hippophaeicola (Philip Jones) Sea Buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides is a shrub native to the east coast of Britain, from Scotland to E. Sussex. Elsewhere it has been planted, as at Cefn Sidan, Pembrey where it was used by the Forestry Commission in the 1920’s to stabilise the dunes in order to protect the conifer plantation. Few fungi are associated with this shrub and, as the roots are capable of fixing nitrogen, the chemical nature of the ground is altered. One fungus, a bracket, which does grow on Sea Buckthorn, is Fomitiporia hippophaeicola which has no common English name. For some years I have kept a lookout for this bracket although I was not sure what it looked like as few field guides show many ‘brackets’. It was only on the last day of January that, at last, I found this. Our young dog disappeared into a large impenetrable mass of Sea Buckthorn after rabbits. Our hearts sank as Diana and I had been at this spot for three hours last summer while the dog had enjoyed digging. Waiting, thirty minutes this time, gave me the chance to look for the fungus as well as the dog. There were a number of brackets, mainly on wood that had been damaged by wind or the flaying used to cut back this invasive shrub. The largest bracket I found was 80mm across and the older brackets, which are perennial, were green as they were covered by algae. Smaller, younger brackets, free of such decoration are more buff to rust-brown. A cut through a specimen shows concentric bands of pores, again showing the perennial nature as one layer of pores grows on another. These are a darker cinnamon-brown. Since finding this species I have looked at similar Sea Buckthorn thickets but seen none of these brackets. Perhaps it is not such a common fungus even where the substrate is abundant. However it is worth looking for as it is a ‘bracket’ that can be named without microscopy. As might be expected, most British records are from the east coast with the Lincolnshire dunes having about half of these. This might mean that the fungus recorder for VC54 had his/her ‘eye-in’ for this bracket. It must however be considered ‘uncommon’ with about 80 records for Britain and just two of these from south Wales, both from dunes at Merthyr Mawr, and one from Newborough, Anglesey. The first Welsh record is from 2003 and collected by Penny David. An unusual fungus on Camellia (R. Nigel Stringer and Philip Jones) In June 2011 Nigel Stringer and Philip Jones were asked to visit a garden near Llanelli where the householder was concerned over an unusual "growth" on his Camellia bush.