Help with an ID please.And What book to get.

[Martin Wilson]

Found this on the Island this afternoon and have no idea what it is, have looked through the site ID but have missed it or can not find it.
As well as that could some one give me an idea of a good book to help me ID Fungi in the future with both the Common name and the Scientific name.
Oh yeah!!...it would be helpful if the book is pocket size ish....
Thanks.
Martin

[Chris Yeates]

hi

I think this is the rather splendid Rhodotus palmatus that strange 'dimpled' cap is characteristic and people have given it the English name Wrinkled Peach; it has a preference for dead elms; it was once rather rare, became more frequent due to Dutch Elm disease, but is less common now in my experience

several of its features serve to put it in a group a little apart from other toadstools

as for books, I'll leave it to others to indicate their preferences (though any with images the standard of yours would probably be worth getting)

fabulous shot (I'm envious)

best wishes

Chris

[juliejam]

Great looking fungi you have there Martin..sorry cant help you with an ID..but dont worry im pretty sure some body will pop on soon and help you out..

Books..the one i try and remember to take out with me is.. DK Pocket Nature Fungi..by Shelley Evans and Geoffrey Kibby packed full of information..


there you go an answer already....Wrinkled Peach..lucky you .its one on my list to find..
Julie

[NickCantle]

Hi Martin,

First off, your excellent image is of a rather rare species called Rhodotus palmatus. What a beautiful set too. They're apparently in decline due to Dutch Elm disease- sounds odd but seeing as they favour Elm, there's nothing to grow on any more. So now they're adapting to other substrates. I think that these are increasing in numbers as the amount even reported on WAB recently is surprising

I only own one pocket guide, and that's a 1993 book, so it's not on shelves anymore I'd suggest one for home too if possible and that would be either Roger Phillips' Mushrooms or Michael Jordan's Encyclopedia of British Fungi.

Either way you'll be getting a good book,

...and can I just say once more.... Stunning image of a beautiful fungus.

Nick

[Martin Wilson]

A big thank you to you all Chris, Julie and Nick.
I shall now put it on the site thanks to you all for your help and such kind comments. I am chuffed and rather flattered as you all have shown such outstanding images that has got me interested in Fungi.
Thanks again to you all.

Martin

[leifus]

im sorry - i dont know what your fungi is but....

books:

1) Encyclopedia of fungi in britain and europe by Michael johnson
2) Mushrooms by Roger Phillips
3) Mushrooms - Collins Gem (this is pocket sized unlike the other two)

[Martin Wilson]

Thanks Leifus for your info. Shall add them to my list for tomorrow.

Martin

[NickCantle]

Originally Posted by leifus

1) Encyclopedia of fungi in britain and europe by Michael johnson
two)

He's a retired USA Sprinter!!!

Michael Jordan, perchance?

[Martin Wilson]

Originally Posted by NickCantle

He's a retired USA Sprinter!!!

Michael Jordan, perchance?

That flew past me Nick....

[SheffieldLass]

Martin

I'd agree pretty much with the others on the books. My personal order of preference is:

Michael Jordan - Encylopedia of Fungi
At the top of each page it gives the Subclass, Order, and Family which is still reasonably up to date, and is very useful for navigating around the BioImages - Virtual Fieldguide (UK) website which I find an invaluable resource ...

Roger Philips - Mushrooms
This was the first book I got, almost 20 years ago, still good but now I leap for Jordan's Encyclopedia first. It does not give the Subclass, Orders, Family info in a readily accessible way.

Both do have good pictures and reasonable detail if you are relying mainly on what you can see with the eye for identification. Both also have spore size details which is useful if you get a microscope. Neither are very good on giving the common names, except for the very common fungi. But you can download an excel file from the internet with that info, or there is a £6 booklet. Both books are unfortunately big, but digital cameras and fungi are small so you can always take them back to identify with your big books in the comfort of your home!

The new edition of Marcel Bon - The Mushrooms and Toadstools of Britain and North-western Europe which is supposedly due in March 2009 might turn out to be a useful sized field guide.

I'd be wary of any but the very recently revised books if you are new to fungi as there has been considerable upheaval in taxonomy recently so older books are now rather confusing ....

Melanie