Some more ID help needed, please!

[solus]

I have been busy trying to catch up with numbering and naming my recent photos but have come unstuck on the identification of some of the fungi species. Here are 3 I would like some help and advice on: there are 4 more but for some reason the system wouldn't let me upload them this time.

Right, no. 1. Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire, 14th October. Growing on soil towards the edge of a wide woodland ride. An Earthball, Scleroderma sp. I think, but I was confused by the colour. These were brown and looked for all the world like a little group of brown golf balls! I cut one (an immature specimen) in half and the spore mass was still white. They seemed to be growing directly out of the ground with only the smallest of stems.




No. 2. Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire, 14th October. Growing in rough grass of wide ride. 2 pics, showing cap and gills. Nearest I've got is some sort of Conocybe? Perhaps...?





No. 3. Cirencester Park, Gloucestershire, 22nd October. These were growing out of the cut surface on the end of a tree trunk in a stack of timber. I ahve no idea of the tree species other than it was not Beech as it had a rough bark. Himself was way ahead of me so I took a couple of quick pics and thought of Oyster Mushroom (don't worry, I never eat anything!). But on looking at the photos later I see my hasty assumption was wrong - the stipe was central, the gills do not appear to be decurrent and there seems to be a faint ring on the stem. The cap was very slimy and sticky. So now I haven't the faintest idea what these are.

[Steve Wurzel]

I'm not claiming to be an expert so these are very amateur guesses on two of them..

Try No1 Calvatia utriformis - Hasenbovist

and No4 Oudemansiella mucida - Porcelain Fungus

[Steve Wurzel]

Try Conocybe sienophylla on the centre pair.

[solus]

Thanks Steve.

I had sort of decided that no.3 was Porcelain Fungus then discounted it as Jordan and Roger Phillips and most other references have it growing (only) on Beech, and while I am positive the cut trunk was not Beech, having a rough and fissured bark, I don't know what it was. Oak and Sycamore were contenders as there are standing specimens of both in the woodlands. Further Internet research today led me to discover that Oudemansiella mucida has been found in Northern Ireland growing on both of these tree species so I am happy now to accept this ID.

I am pretty sure that no. 1 is an Earthball rather than a Puffball but the colour confuses me - these are fresh, "un-puffed" specimens with immature spore masses, at least in the one I cut open. Calvatia utriformis only seems to turn brown when it is old and the spores have gone.

The jury's out on no. 2 as I haven't so far found much on Conocybe sienophylla, although it does look a likely candidate....

[Fungus Ken]

The first is actually a puffball, rather than an earthball. The earthballs have a much tougher rind and are only white all the way through when very immature.

The one with the conical rusty brown cap is a Conocybe but they all look very similar and you usually need a microscope to separate them.

Ken

[solus]

Ah. Thanks for that Ken. Conocybe sp. it is then and ... um.... I don't suppose you can help me with which puffball...please?

[Fungus Ken]

The colour of Lycoperdon molle is described as "cafe-au-lait" and this species has delicate spines that wear away.

It's a possibility but I couldn't be sure.

Ken

PS Just noticed that the base of the stem of your Conocybe seems to have a small swollen bulb. If so, this suggests Conocybe subovalis is a possibility. This tends to be a fairly large and substantial species, as far as Conocybe species go.

[solus]

Another pic - does this help, Ken? I was only hanging on to it for ID purposes as I didn't reckon it was good enough to keep. Lucky I hadn't already deleted it!