Pembrokeshire Fungus Recorder Issue 2/2012

Home , Hygrocybe, Hygrocybe chlorophana, Hygrocybe coccinea, Hygrocybe miniata, Hygrocybe punicea, Hygrocybe quieta

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 waxcap 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 specimen 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 specimen 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.

The growth was a white mass about the size of a child's hand which had totally engulfed one of the leaves of the plant (Figure 1). The gall was caused by the parasitic fungus Exobasidium camelliae, which is specific to sasanqua varieties of Camellias. The white outer surface is the spore bearing tissue of the fungus from which the spores are released to infect other plants. A cold wet spring is thought to be favourable for the disease but the disease is not that common in Britain.

4 The first specimen was sent to Kew from Handcross in Sussex in June 1944. Since then there have been 37 other records and interestingly these are all from the south of England and Wales. The first Welsh record was from Denbighshire in 1961 by Bruce Ing and since then the fungus has been reported from Dyfed, Glamorganshire and in 2005 from Laugharne (Carmarthenshire) near Dylan Thomas's writing shed. The Laugharne specimen was identified by the authors.

The fungus is very localised on the plant but doesn't kill it. The plant in the Llanelli garden had been in place for 30 years and this was the first year that the disease plant had been infected. Two other fruit bodies were present on the plant but these were in an advanced state of decay. The owners were worried about the presence of the fungus and wanted to treat the plant with a fungicide. However, once they were told about how rare this fungus is they are keen to conserve it, especially as the fungus will not do any long term harm to the plant.

There is no doubt that the fungus has spread over the last two decades and is easily identifiable in the field/garden. Perhaps members would keep their eyes open for this fungus and report any sightings to the authors via David Harries.

An interesting rust on Box (David Harries)

Box (Buxus sempervivens) is a native, small-leaved, Spores evergreen bush which is widely planted as a hedging or 50 μm ornamental shrub. Well established specimens may be affected by the rust Puccinia buxi giving rise to small purplish-brown pustules, about 2-3 mm. diameter, on the leaves where the teliospores are erupting. The rust does not appear to cause the host plant significant harm.

Tom Preece has studied this species very extensively and notes (Preece, 2000) that the rust is unusual in that it is apparently not usually transmitted to young box plants but is normally found on older plants at long established sites including old country houses, castles etc. He suggests that “...It is being conserved at particular old sites because of the lack of disturbance of old trees and bushes bearing the fungus.”

This note was prompted by discovery of the rust on a well-established Box bush at Somerton Farm. Numerous younger Box plants were present in the garden but none showed any sign of Box rust. Enquiries revealed that the affected bush would have been planted out as a young specimen about 15 years ago and that no Box was present in garden in the 40 or so years prior to the planting.

I mentioned the observation to Debbie Evans, a rust enthusiast in north Wales, and she advised that she had come across a case in Lleyn where young plants had been affected by the rust, though in this case there was a source of infection from older plants in the garden.

A check on the Fungus Records Database shows two previous County records: 1973 (Gwaun Valley) and 1987 (Colby Lodge Gardens). Further inspection of the FRD indicates that specimens may be found in any month of the year making this an ideal species to look out for. Please forward any records together with observations on the size and location of the host bush.

Preece, T.F. (2000). The strange story of box rust, Puccinia buxi, in Britain. Mycologist Volume 14, Issue 3. 5 2011 review

Recording

The combined efforts of network members 1600 generated over 1,200 records during 2011. 1400 After checking and collating, these were made available to the West Wales Biodi- 1200 versity Information Centre and the two 1000 national fungus recording schemes. 800 600

The chart shows records collected annually 400 from 2004 to 2011. The peak in 2007 was 200 due to additional records generated during 0 the British Mycological Society foray 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 based at Stackpole.

Up to the end of 2010 there were 18 species of conservation concern (Red Data List and/or UKBAP priority species) recorded from the County. 7 more species were recorded in 2011 taking the total to 25.

Clockwise from top left, the “suite” of 4 UKBAP “waxcapgrassland”species recorded in Pembrokeshire.

Microglossum olivaceum Geoglossum atropurpureum Hygrocybe spadicea Entoloma bloxamii

The highlight at the start of the year was the discovery of two new sites for the “critically endangered worldwide” species: Willow Blister (Cryptomyces maximus). All recent British records are from Pembrokeshire where the species is confined to willow scrub at four locations in the St. David's area.

Three rare species, from a group known as stipitate hydnoid fungi, were recorded by Matt Sutton on his farm near Redberth. They were found under well established Oak trees on a shaded, mossy, nutrient-poor hedgebank. Two further sites were subsequently identified in wooded areas of South/Mid Pembrokeshire, suggesting that the County may support a significant population of these threatened species.

The calcareous coastal grassland in the south of the County yielded three valuable records during the year. Entoloma indutoides, collected by Jane Hodges at Castlemartin Range (West) was the first Welsh record for this Red Data List species, Entoloma fridolfingense collected by David Harries from Stackpole Warren was the first British record for the species and Geoglossum atropurpureum, from the same site, was a UKBAP species not previously recorded in the County.

6 Elsewhere, attention turned to dune and dune-grassland habitat which yielded two new Red Data List species for the County: Coprinopsis ammophilae and Leucoagaricus barssii.

Two species collected from Pembrokeshire in 2011 were established as new British records: Lindtne- ria pterospora and Stereopsis hiscens. [A third species, Entoloma fridolfingense, (mentioned earlier) was collected in 2010 and 2011, but not confirmed until 2011.]

Training & publicity

The fungus network ran a successful waxcap training day based at Brynberian village hall with a field excursion to upland grassland at Carnedd Meibion Owen.

Twenty-three grassland species, including fourteen waxcaps, were recorded. These included two new records for the site: Hygrocybe miniata and Hygro- cybe vitellina.

Hygrocybe miniata is a small/medium-sized red waxcap with a dry cap. It normally favours acid conditions. Hygrocybe vitellina is a small, bright yellow, distinctly slimy waxcap often found in damp mossy areas. Weathered specimens can be almost white.

Illustrated talks were provided to two local organisations: the South Pembs sub-group of the Wildlife Trust of South & West Wales in February, and Llangwm Gardening Club in November.

Articles relating to PFRN fungus records or activities were published in Field Mycology (Entoloma rubellum, vol. 12/4) and Mycology News (Note on the 2011 foray season, issue 2011/4)

Funding

Generous donations were received from two local organisations: Chevron (now Valero Energy) and RWE Npower.

Visitors

Visiting mycologists included Dr. Eef Arnolds and Rob Chrispijn from the Netherlands (visiting grassland sites prior to attending the BMS foray in North Wales), Peter Thompson (collecting ascomycete photographs for his forthcoming book) and George Clarkson (photographing and collecting stipitate hydnoid specimens for a research project at Cardiff university).

Photo: George Clarkson (right) with Matt Sut- ton (centre) and trainee mycologist, Noah, looking on.

7 External projects

31 collections of fungi were photographed, recorded, collected and submitted to the Kew waxcap/earthtongue DNA project bringing the total number collected over 2 years to 62.

Hygrocybe punicea - a typical sample collected for the project. Specimens were photographed in the field and after collection then dried to preserve the material for DNA analysis and retention in the herbarium.

Meetings

David Harries attended a Plantlink (Wales) sub-group meeting in May to discuss fungus conservation issues, and Jane Hodges briefed the MoD (Pembrokeshire Ranges Conservation Group - Castlemar- tin) and the CCW and Tycanol National Nature Reserve Advisory Committee on fungus records from the corresponding sites.

Lichen identification course

The British Lichen Society and Field Studies Council have organised two one-day “Introductory Courses on Lichens” based at Orielton Field Centre on Saturday 12th & Saturday 19th May 2012. The course fee is £35/day and includes lunch.

The course tutors are Pat Wolseley (Scientific Associate at The Natural History Museum and former president of the British Lichen Society) and Robin Crump (former director of Orielton Field Centre and member of the British Lichen Society and PFRN).

The courses are designed to introduce lichens to citizen scientists, naturalists, and students Teloschistes flavicans (Golden-hair lichen) - a rare (sixth form and undergraduate). No previous lichen found in Pembrokeshire. knowledge is assumed. The first day will focus on explaining what lichens are and how they can be distinguished in the field, while the second day will allow more time for hands-on identification and also cover more general aspects of the ecology and uses of lichens.

Attendance on both days is recommended, but is not essential. You may wish to attend the first day before deciding if you want to progress to the second. At the end of the two days, participants can expect to feel confident in the naming of a range of common species, have a small collection of reference specimens, and have sufficient background for projects using lichens as bio-indicators of environmental conditions.

A copy of the full information leaflet advertising the course can be downloaded from the PFRN website. Further information including booking arrangements and times can be obtained from Orielton Field Centre, Tel: 01646 623920, Email: enquiries.or@field-studies-council.