February Forays
………...…….fascinating finds!

Part 2

Further research of scant, but encouraging information gleaned via Google led me to believe we were on to something special, but in view of the rarity and confusion surrounding the possible species it would need resources beyond our reach to verify it.

Returning to the location to take more photos, verify field notes and collect specimens I discovered several more colonies of trooping groups of up to six emergent and mature fruiting bodies, All growing amongst Polytrichum moss and Cladonia lichen on the sunny side of sandy mounds surrounding uprooted broad-leaf tree stumps. While I continued to monitor their progress, as these hardy little fungi endured severe overnight frosts during the next six days, dried specimens were despatched to both Michael Jordan at ABFG and Dr Peter Roberts at Kew. In the meantime further discussion in forum with the cognoscenti of the WAB contributors, together with contact, including exchange of photos, with members of the stateside Northwest Mushroomers Association, whose winter 2007 newsletter had featured a similar find as their ‘Mushroom of the Month’, encouraged me to believe that the outcome looked more and more promising. As a photographer and novice hobbyist mycologist normally restricted to comparisons of the oft times, and frustratingly inconclusive macro characteristics for the purposes of identification, I realised even the colour variations were exaggerated by the melanized type of incrusted pigment. Though as the specimens aged and dried the ‘verdigris’ attributes became prominent especially in the more pallid sulcate margins.

Minley Marathon Posted 23-05-2008 at 05:14 PM by cybershot Well it sure felt like it when setting out on foot for an 8 mile trek on Wednesday, 21 May 2008. It entailed me leaving home at 9.30am with Chaka in tow and picking up JP at ten o'clock at the A327 roundabout car park. We all then headed off to meander around Minley Wood; stopping 'en route' to show John sites bearing previously found Megacollybia platyphylla and Agrocybe praecox ... Continue reading... cybershot Commander of the Wild Empire

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	What a nonsense! Posted 22-02-2008 at 02:35 PM by cybershot Not a user friendly set up and I can't amend it, so apologies to any viewers. David cybershot Commander of the Wild Empire
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Part 3 Posted 22-02-2008 at 02:30 PM by cybershot Updated 22-02-2008 at 03:24 PM by cybershot February Forays…...…….fascinating finds! Part 3 In due course Dr Roberts’ confirmation of Arrhenia cholorcyanea arrived and this happy band of ‘Shroomers received their just rewards in the proud knowledge of having found a rare Red Data List species on their patch. Though further contemplation does beg the question as to whether or not this annotation... Continue reading... cybershot Commander of the Wild Empire

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Part 1 (retrospectively) Posted 22-02-2008 at 02:22 PM by cybershot Updated 22-02-2008 at 03:24 PM by cybershot February Forays…...…….fascinating finds! Part 1 Spurred on by many surprises, including a magnificent display of Sarcoscypha austriaca and a glimpse of Mycoacia aurea, during an impromptu outing to Baynes Nature Reserve, Berks with my good buddy and mentor John Parsons, I agreed to meet him again the following weekend at Minley Wood, Hants.... Continue reading... cybershot Commander of the Wild Empire

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	What happened to Part 1? Posted 22-02-2008 at 02:14 PM by cybershot I only wish I knew! cybershot Commander of the Wild Empire
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