Laccaria sp.

[juliejam]

Fround just these three along a grass pathway under Beech and Birch..

Are they just the Deceiver -Laccaria laccata..or possibly another species of the Laccaria..



Cheers ..


Julie

[flaxton]

Don't be silly Julie without a microscope you are not going to move beyond laccata (even if it is).

Mal

[Chris Yeates]

hi Julie

Laccaria is quite an easy genus to recognise, but from then on (unless they have full or partial amethyst coloration) things get difficult and do require a 'scope, plus the ability to measure spores

I posted recently about Laccaria fraterna an interesting species which seems to only grow with Eucalyptus shrubs and trees. (I've actually nipped out of this post and added it to the A to Z if you want to have a look at it);

in view of my post re English names - shoot me down in flames as I have just given it one!! - Eucalyptus Deceiver in this instance it seems genuinely useful as I have used an accepted base name ('Deceiver') in it

Laccaria is interesting from a rather technical point of view as well:
it is placed in the family Hydnangiaceae along with only one other British fungus Hydnangium carneum a truffle-like fungus (the true truffles are ascomycetes, but underground fungi occur in different groups)
the name carneum means flesh-coloured - like the fleshy colour see an image at http://www.nifg.org.uk/species/photo...um_carneum.jpg
what has almost certainly happened is that in the past a Laccaria-like fungus has developed this twisty habit meaning of course that the spores are no longer wind-scattered but carried by animals (large or small) in which case it doesn't need to grow a stem and stick its head above the ground and a closely related (but structurally very different) fungus genus has come into being.

and here's the amazing bit Hydnangium carneum is quite a well known 'hypogeous' fungus but it is an alien fungus - introduced with Eucalyptus!

look at the way the gills on your Laccaria are wavy and contorted - another Laccaria on the A to Z - L. tortilis - the name means 'twisted' is even more contorted

I know this is a bit technical but - I hope - it shows that your find while you can't name it to species is still part of a fascinating evolutionary and distribution story

Chris

[NickCantle]

Excellent information Chris. Thank you

[juliejam]

Many thanx Chris some fascinating stuff ther..much appreciated..

Julie

[Chris Yeates]

Originally Posted by juliejam

Many thanx Chris some fascinating stuff ther..much appreciated..

Julie

hi Julie

thanks - that encourages me to keep posting these snippets

I don't want them to be seen as 'lectures' . . . just a little insight as to how wonderful this fungus world we are all interested in is . . . (and how anyone can make a difference

Chris

[Fungalpunk]

Excellent insight there and again I ask at this most appropriate time - how many species (roughly) do you think can be recognised on a foray. What do you consider to be a good foray where species have actually been named in the field and also what are the most common mistakes you think are made in the field.

Sorry if this is too much but I am always curious about this as I 'fungal with a conscience' if that makes sense. The thought of misidentifying something when leading a foray but I know it does happen and will unknowingly again. I lead forays with the attitude that if I can't name it in the field then just say so rather than blag it.

Cheers Chris and sorry for being a questionning tinker.

FP/OMD